April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
April 4, 2020 by Jean Humbrecht
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month Throughout the Country and Focuses on Promoting Safe Driving Habits
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted Driving Awareness Month focuses on educating drivers about the dangers of distractions while on the road as well as promoting safe driving habits. Many groups and organizations focus on promoting distraction-free driving during Distracted Driving Awareness Month every year.
Why April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
In 2010, Congress proclaimed April to be National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Traffic accidents and resulting injuries and fatalities are increasing every year, not only in Virginia but throughout the country. A major contributor to these crashes is distracted driving. Distractions while driving can come from using cell phones, vehicle technology, passengers, driving after drinking alcohol, eating and drinking, grooming or putting on make-up, adjusting music or volume, and less obvious causes such as fatigue or stress. Additionally, teenagers have a higher chance of being involved in a car accident as a result of texting while driving and other distracted driving.
For more information on the causes of distracted driving in Virginia, see the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute article here.
Cell Phone Usage is a Major Contributor to Distracted Driving
Cell phone usage is a leading cause of traffic accidents involving distracted driving. It is hard to obtain precise statistics on how many crashes are caused by distracted driving from cell phone usage, as this would require a driver to report that he or she was using his or her cell phone while driving and subsequently being involved in an accident. Studies have shown that even if drivers are using hands-free devices and looking at the road while talking on a cell phone and driving, they are still less likely to see the road and potential hazards.
Many people mistakenly think that because newer vehicles come equipped with technology and safety features that they are safer on the roads while in these vehicles as a result. These features include the ability to hear a text read aloud and reply by speaking into the car speakers as well as the ability to call a contact in one’s phone by speaking via bluetooth technology, among many other things.
Additionally, safety features such as rear cameras, motion-activated lights and in-vehicle GPS may provide more safety in some ways, but these features also create a false sense of security for drivers. Relying on technology that could malfunction may result in drivers failing to pay attention to potential hazards around them while driving.
A person also increases his or her chances of becoming a crime victim if he or she is distracted in any way while driving or in a vehicle, including distraction by cell phone use. This is because the driver is not paying attention to his or her surroundings and potential hazards, no matter how hard he or she is trying to do so.
In order to cut down on the hazards on the roadways from cell phone usage, Virginia has recently enacted a law prohibiting having a handheld communication device in a person’s hand while driving. This is frequently known as the Texting While Driving law. Click here for more information on the laws related to using handheld personal communication devices while driving in Virginia.
How to Prevent Distracted Driving
There are many ways drivers in Virginia can cut down on distracted driving. These include using cell phone blocking apps (many of which are free), pulling over to make a phone call or send a text message, having a passenger send or respond to a text that comes into the driver’s phone, putting the phone away while driving, maintaining the speed limit, not driving after drinking alcohol or taking medication, and continuing to look in rearview mirrors and blind spots instead of merely relying on technology safety features, among many other things.
For more information on Distracted Driving Awareness Month, see NHTSA’s website here.
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