Distracted Driving
In 2020 alone, distracted driving contributed to 2,612 injuries and 29 deaths.
Distracted driving contributes to 11 percent of crashes in Minnesota.
Locally in 2023 alone there have been 4 multiple injury accidents and 2 deaths at just one of our intersections due to distracted drivers running a stop sign at high speeds.
Eight seconds forever changed the lives of two families. Eight seconds a distracted driver wishes he could take back. In the video “Eight Seconds: One Fatal Distraction.” a truck driver discusses the moments leading up to the fatal crash that took the life of 54-year old Robert Bursik and the message he wants to share with drivers.
Distracted driving is killing hopes, dreams and lives; it's leaving people with serious injuries that tragically affect their day-to-day living.
Teen drivers can use their phone to listen to music or as a GPS device, but music and directions must be set prior to putting the vehicle in drive.
It is illegal in Minnesota for a driver under 18 with a provisional license to hold or use their phone while driving, even in hands-free mode.
It's important to realize that distracted driving is not just the usual suspects of cell phones and texting. It can include daydreaming, putting attention toward something outside of the vehicle, eating, reaching for items, changing music, and dealing with rowdy passengers.
Shattered Dreams: Distracted Driving Changes Lives
DRIVERS DO NOT TAKE DISTRACTION SERIOUSLY ENOUGH.
Know the numbers. More than 2,800 people in the U.S. died in distraction related crashes in 2018 alone – that’s at least seven people every day. That same year 276,000 people were injured in distraction related crashes.
Drivers should be aware of three major types of distraction: visual (eyes), manual (hands), and cognitive (mind). Most people recognize when they are visually and/or manually distracted and seek to disengage from those activities as quickly as possible. People typically do not realize when they are cognitively distracted, such as when using a cell phone. When your eyes, hands and mind are not focused on driving, you increase the chance that you will make mistakes that can result in injuries or even death.
-NSC National Safety Council
Hands-free is not risk-free.
Hands-free devices and voice command systems create a cognitive distraction as the driver mentally engages with interactive tasks. While hands-free options may be marginally safer than handheld devices, eliminating driver use of all types of cell phones an in-vehicle infotainment systems is safest.
It is impossible to multitask and give equal attention to each task.
People often think they are effectively accomplishing two tasks at the same time. It is possible to complete a phone conversation while driving and arrive at the destination without incident, but it is a misconception that the tasks can be done simultaneously and as safely as possible. Motorists should make driving the primary focus and perform other cognitively demanding tasks only when safely parked.
