Distracted Driving Awareness month is good reminder to keep eyes on the road and phones tucked away

When driving, do you ever discover folks their palms or their laps, clearly not taking note of what’s in entrance of them?

It is greater than only a unhealthy behavior. It may be a harmful, even deadly mistake.

“46,000 folks had been killed on our nation’s roads and highways, and that is up 22% from the yr,” stated David Reich of the Nationwide Street Security Basis. “46,000 of our buddies, neighbors, household, it’s simply completely loopy.”

Distracted driving consists of texting whereas driving, speaking on the cellphone, and generally even consuming behind the wheel. April is Distracted Driving Consciousness month.

The Nationwide Street security basis estimates that distracted driving performs a significant function in round 30% of crashes.

“It is only a recipe for catastrophe,” Reich stated.

Distracted driving will be much more harmful on North Dakota’s many interstates and highways. Greater speeds can cowl a number of hundred toes even if you happen to’re your cellphone for just some seconds.

“For younger folks distraction is is especially harmful, as a result of younger folks, teenagers, they don’t seem to be as skilled behind the wheel,” Reich stated.

Not solely that, however they’ve grown up with cell telephones. So what can mother and father do to ensure they hold their eyes forward and telephones away? First, set an instance.

“When it is their flip to turn into drivers, they could sayif mother or dad does that, I assume it is okay,” Reich stated. “So that they’re gonna they’re gonna mimic your habits. We as adults must be on our greatest habits, we’re the function fashions.”

In case you’re driving with a passenger and that you must test your cellphone, have them do it for you.

And if you happen to’ve bought a cellphone name that simply cannot wait, be good about it.

“Discover a secure place to tug over,” Reich stated. “Handle enterprise after which proceed on the highway.”

98 folks misplaced their lives to crashes in North Dakota in 2022 in keeping with the North Dakota Division of Transportation.

Mike McGurran has been a reporter and anchor at WDAY-TV since 2021.