The Orangetown Police Department has issued the following Public Service Announcement in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Take Action- Remind your friends and family: If you’re in the driver’s seat, it’s the only thing you should be doing. No distractions.- If your driver is texting or otherwise distracted, tell them to stop and focus on the road.- Ask your friends to join you in pledging not to drive distracted. You could save a life.
Share your pledge on social media to spread the word — #JustDrive.Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on our roads. While drivers texting behind the wheel tops what seems like an endless list of distractions, other risky actions include talking — whether it be on the phone or to others in the car, setting your navigation, adjusting what you’re listening to, drinking coffee, applying makeup, and more. By driving distracted, you’re robbing yourself of seconds that you may need to avoid a close call or deadly crash.
In 2019, distracted driving killed 3,142 people – a 10% increase from 2018. Young drivers seem more prone to using their phones while driving. According to NHTSA research from 2017, drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers have since 2007. But make no mistake: It isn’t just young people who are driving distracted, as drivers in other age groups don’t lag far behind.
