For the month of April, the Eagle Point Police Department is partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and will be using grant funds to place extra officers on the road with a focus on distracted driving. April is the “National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.’
Distracted driving comes in many forms such as texting/ calling on your cell phone, applying makeup while driving, eating while driving, and/or having your beloved pet riding on your lap. All forms of distracted driving can and have led to injury crashes and fatal crashes.
For anyone who thinks they can accomplish these or other distracting activities while driving, it’s time for a crash course in reality from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
• In 2013, 3,154 people were killed and approximately 424,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. (NHTSA)
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to be involved in a serious crash. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• In 2013, ten percent of fatal crashes, 18 percent of injury crashes, and 16 percent of all motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2013 were reported as distraction-affected crashes.
• In 2013, ten percent of all drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
Authorities encourage drivers to put all distractions away when driving or pull over in a safe spot off of the road. “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.”
Source: EPPD / NHTSA
