A new public service announcement focusing on the consequences of both distracted and impaired driving is now available to area police departments, broadcast media and community organizations for use on social media and websites, says AAA Northeast.
The distracted driving prevention campaign, titled “Don’t Drive Intoxicated. Don’t Drive Intexicated,” is in its fourth year and has been released to call attention to National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.
Here is a link to the 30-second PSA, which shows what happens to a driver soon after he texts then puts his phone down in his car: https://youtu.be/0NH4p0hSvyU
Most drivers are unaware of the ‘hangover effect’ that occurs from interacting with technology while behind the wheel, said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. A AAA Foundation study found the minds of drivers remain distracted for up to 27 seconds after using in-car electronic systems to send texts, make phone calls or update social media.
“As presented in the PSA, mental distractions can lead to inattentional blindness where you’re looking at the road, but not seeing what’s in front of you,” said Mayko.
In 2019, distracted driving crashes killed 3,142 people in the US, an average of 9 deaths per day and a 10% increase compared to 2018, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In Connecticut in 2019, there were over 1,300 distracted driving-related crashes involving electronic devices including 11 fatalities, according to the UCONN Crash Data Repository.
To eliminate distracted driving, AAA recommends:
- Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
- If you must call or text while behind the wheel, pull off the road safely.
- Ask your passengers to help navigate, make a call, or send a message.
- Speak out if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
- Avoid calling or texting others when you know they’re driving.
- Activate Do Not Disturb on your cellphone to prevent incoming calls while you’re driving.
For more information visit aaa.com/dontdrivedistracted.