National Focus on Distracted Driving Gets Underway
April 1 marks the kickoff of a week-long campaign by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) aimed at preventing distracted driving in the U.S. This year’s campaign is dubbed “Put the Phone Away or Pay.” It strives for increased awareness of how driving while distracted threatens the lives of drivers and those they encounter on the roads and risks serious injuries for all. The top targets for these messages are audiences between the ages of 15 and 34 and drivers over 75, who have some of the highest rates of distracted driving crashes. Resources for road operators are available here.
In 2022, NHTSA reports that 3,308 people died and an estimated 289,310 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Eight percent of all fatal vehicle crashes nationwide involved distracted drivers. The consequences of these statistics represent a national tragedy, but there are signs of encouragement. Because of the efforts of road operators to address this issue, the numbers are beginning to trend in the right direction. Police crash reports show fatalities involving distracted driving declined by 6 percent in 2022. But there is no mistaking that we have a long way still to go.
Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from driving safely, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking while operating a vehicle, talking to people in your vehicle, grooming, or adjusting the stereo, entertainment or navigation system. Improper mobile phone use is one of the most pressing concerns. Sending or reading a text message while behind the wheel diverts a driver’s attention for an average of 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that means driving blindly for the length of a football field.
Our federal partners at NHTSA and USDOT continue to research the relationship between driver distraction and vehicle technology, with an eye toward eliminating distraction within the vehicle. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) commits new levels of funding for states and road operators to assess effective and innovative countermeasures and advance local highway safety programs. IIJA’s distracted driving grant programs make it easier for more entities to qualify with amended definitions, allocation formulas, and requirements. Learn more about available federal resources.
IBTTA’s Global Road Safety Campaign aims to highlight the urgent need for action to address traffic safety improvements such as distracted driving, as well as speeding, impaired driving, and work zone safety. We encourage toll operator members to share your experiences with road safety by completing a SHORT SURVEY. Ask anyone on the IBTTA staff about how you can get involved. When we are on the road together, we are part of a community of individuals going about our daily lives with a shared goal of getting home safely. Together we can make a difference.