Distracted Driving

Three Seconds. That’s All it Takes.

80% of all crashes and 65% of all near-crashes recently studied by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute involved driver inattention within 3 seconds of the crash.

Check out these statistics to learn how your behavior behind the wheel puts you at an increased risk for a crash.

Behavior Increased Risk
Texting (illegal in Virginia) 23 times
Reaching for a moving object 9 times
Driving drowsy 4 times
Looking at an external object 3.7 times
Reading 3.4 times
Applying makeup 3 times

(Source: Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Naturalistic Driving Study, Relative Risk Estimates for Crash/Near Crash Inattention Events)

Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have found that using a cell phone increases crash risk by 4 times. Since cell phone use occurs more frequently and for longer durations, this is the #1 source of driver inattention behind the wheel.

In 2009, 756 people died on the roadways of Virginia. There were more than 116,744 crashes and 62,796 people injured (DMV). Driver inattention was a leading factor in many of these crashes. That’s a big price to pay for a little distracted driving. Keep your eyes and mind on the road and sign the pledge to not drive distracted. The 2010 date for Distracted Driving Awareness Day in Virginia is April 28th. We have materials you can download and order free of charge to help promote this awareness day at your organization. Let's work together to keep Virginia's roadways safe for everyone.

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Top 10 Tips to Minimize Your Distracted Driving

  1. CHANGE YOUR WAYS and recognize the activities that distract you; such as eating, conversing on the phone, or changing a CD.
  2. MAKE A PLAN. Get directions, study your route, check weather and road conditions. Make sure children are properly buckled up and occupied.
  3. MANAGE YOUR TIME so that you do not have to multi-task or drive aggressively on the road.
  4. DON’T LET YOUR DRIVE TIME BECOME YOUR DOWN TIME.
  5. SCAN the roadway to make sure that you are aware of others on the road at all times. Be prepared for the unpredictability of others.
  6. CONCENTRATE on your driving. Make sure that you are not upset or tired when getting on the road.
  7. PULL OVER to a safe place if you need to do something that will take your eyes and/or mind off of the road.
  8. REDUCE THE USE! Use GPS and other technology sensibly. Program devices before you hit the gas.
  9. TAKE A REFRESHER CLASS! A driver improvement class can raise your awareness and help you assess your driving behaviors.
  10. BUCKLE UP, EVERY TRIP, EVERY TIME. Making sure that everyone is properly buckled up is the best defense against distracted drivers.