April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Van Wert –April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Van Wert Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to keep their eyes and focus on the roadway while driving. Last year 17,827 crashes in Ohio had a reported distraction, including 44 fatal crashes. Ohio law prohibits all cell phone usage for drivers under 18. Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers, as a secondary offense.
Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver’s eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field when traveling at 55 mph.
“Every time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road – even for just a few seconds – they put their lives and the lives of others in danger,” said Lt. Tim Grigsby, Commander of the Van Wert Post.
“Distracted driving is unsafe and irresponsible. In a split second, its consequences can be devastating.”
Distracted driving is any non-driving activity that has potential to distract a person from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing. Distractions can be visual, taking eyes off of the road; manual, taking hands off the wheel; or cognitive, taking the mind off driving. Texting while driving is an example that results in all three types of distraction.
