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APRIL IS NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Safety Council. Join us as we spread the word that “distracted driving, including hands-free phone use and infotainment systems, puts everyone at risk!”
According to the WA Traffic Safety Commission:
- 30% of crash fatalities in Washington are due to distracted driving,
- 23% of serious crashes in Washington are due to distracted driving,
- Drivers are 3 times more likely to be in a crash when talking on a phone, and
- 70% of observed distracted drivers were using their cell phones.
In 2019, over 3,100 people in the US were killed and about 424,000 people were injured in crashes involving distracted driving (Distracted Driving | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center).
Distracted driving is not just using the cell phone or texting while driving. There are actually three main types of driving distractions. Any of these distractions can endanger you, your passengers, as well as others on the roadways:
- Visual: taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: taking your hands off the road
- Cognitive: taking your mind off driving
Did you know that “at 55 miles per hour, sending or reading a text is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed” (Distracted Driving | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center)?
Distracted driving is preventable! What can you do to prevent distracted driving?
- Do not multitask while driving.
- Speak up if you are a passenger in a car with a distracted driver.
- Talk to your loved ones, including teens and young drivers, about distracted driving.
- Set an example of responsible driving.
Did you Know?
- You can sign up for a station tour. Great for small groups.
- You should replace the batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year.
- Creating a defensible space with regards to wildfires could just save your home or property.
- We have Friends & Family CPR classes every month.