Florida Law Enforcement Agencies Promote Safe Driving Habits for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Florida Law Enforcement Agencies Team Up to Promote Safe Driving Habits for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – As reported online by www.tbnweekly.com, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with other Florida law enforcement agencies to promote safe driving habits for Distracted Driving Awareness Month to reduce the number of deadly distracted driving accidents seen each year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,450 people died from distracted driving accident injuries in 2016. Additionally, the Florida Highway Patrol has stated that distracted driving has increased by 25% since 2013. As such, distracted driving is a problem that only seems to be getting worse.

To fight against distracted driving and the injuries and deaths associated with such needless accidents, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department along with other Florida law enforcement agencies are teaming up to promote safe driving habits for the month of April, which is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.  

When discussing distracted driving, it is almost easier to say what drivers should NOT do rather than what they should do.  Common types of distracted driving behavior that law enforcement officials see each year include, among others, texting, eating, changing the radio station, putting on makeup, and turning attention to pets or children in the car. 

In each of these examples of distracted driving behavior, drivers are doing one or more of the following: taking their eyes off the road, taking their hands off the steering wheel, or taking their minds off the task of driving. A combination of all three of these elements can be deadly.  As such, all drivers should practice safe driving habits, some of which include the following:

• Put your cell phone out of sight and on the “do not disturb” setting, so that you are not tempted to reach for your phone;
• If you have passengers, ask them for help if you need to do something while driving (such as making a call or changing the radio station);
• Keep pets and children properly restrained so that they are not roaming freely in the vehicle; and
• Pull over and rest if you feel tired or sleepy.

Some accidents are difficult to prevent.  However, a substantial number of distracted driving accidents are certainly preventable if drivers can follow simple, safe driving habits.

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Source:https://www.tbnweekly.com/pinellas_county/article_1c21dada-5a22-11e9-b9f6-fb9b6e918834.html and https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving