Eyes on the road. Hands on the steering wheel. The rules are simple.
But when some of us get in the driver’s seat, we start multi-tasking as if we’re not about to head into traffic that requires alertness and attention to avoid danger.
In the old days, distracted driving mostly consisted of applying make-up, adjusting the radio or eating a meal.
Today, cellphone usage is the leading cause of distracted driving, which leads to thousands of deaths and injuries on the roads every year. Of those who lose their lives in such incidents, roughly 20% were people who weren’t in a vehicle.
Just last weekend here in Chicago, a 65-year-old pedestrian was killed when she was hit by a 23-year-old distracted driver in Hegewisch, police say.
To keep more of these tragedies from taking place, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office recently announced its “One Road. One Focus” educational campaign, which will be partly aimed at young people, who are more likely to be distracted at the time of a deadly crash as are people 75 and older, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Part of the strategy to help stigmatize “intexticated’ driving,” as Secretary of State Alexis Giannoulias put it, will include a social media blitz; showing a video on the dangers of distracted driving to teens applying for their instruction permit;and partnering with the state Department of Transportation to erect signs reminding drivers of all ages that they should be paying attention to the road and not the cute cat picture a friend posted.
Beefing up enforcement by Illinois State Police and a possible grant program for local police efforts against distracted driving are also in the works.
Drivers often fool themselves that a few seconds of texting won’t hurt anyone. But a distraction can hinder motorists’ ability to pay attention to the road for at least half a minute after the distractive behavior has ceased, a recent study found.
The NHTSA, over the spring, rebranded its distracted driving campaign from “U Drive, U Text, U Pay” to “Put the Phone Away or Pay” after learning that drivers aren’t just sending messages on their phones — they’re using apps and social media, and watching and recording videos
Whatever it takes, policymakers and elected officials are right to tailor the message and keep the roads safe from distracted driving.
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