Texting and other forms of messaging while driving are real dangers on America’s roads. While distracted driving can take many other forms, these texting behaviors have become some of the most pervasive forms of distracted driving. [Local Public Official] wants to help spread the word that its [State/Local Law Enforcement Organization] is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2022 U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign. From April 7-11, 2022, law enforcement officers will work together to enforce texting and distracted-driving laws. These expanded efforts to prevent distracted driving will be conducted in a fair and equitable way.
Connect to Disconnect on April 7, 2022
– Connect to Disconnect (C2D) is a special 4-hour enforcement operation coordinated by State Highway Safety Offices and law enforcement agencies across the country. The initiative will take place on April 7, 2022 — the first day of the 2022 U Drive. U Text. U Pay. distracted driving high-visibility enforcement period. During the initiative, officers are asked to ticket drivers for violating their state’s or local jurisdiction’s cell phone or texting ban.
– The C2D initiative aims to demonstrate a nationwide commitment to enforcing cell phone and texting bans, and reduce traffic crashes caused by distracted drivers, ultimately preventing injuries and deaths associated with cell phone use and texting while driving.
Staggering Statistics
– According to NHTSA, between 2012 and 2019, nearly 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. While fatalities from motor vehicle crashes decreased slightly from 2018, distraction-related fatalities increased by 10%.
– NHTSA reports that the number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide, or almost 9% of all fatalities, in 2019. This represents a 10% increase over the year 2018, or 284 more fatalities. The distraction figure was the largest increase in causes of traffic deaths reported for 2019.
– Distracted-driving crashes accounted for 15% of injury crashes and 14% of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2019.
– Texting while driving has become an especially problematic trend among younger drivers. In fact, 9% of drivers 15 to 19 years old involved in 2019 fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal crashes.
– According to NHTSA research from 2017, young drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers have since 2007.
– In 2019, there were 566 nonoccupants (pedestrians, bicyclists, and others) killed in crashes involving a distracted driver.
Safety Tips for Driving
– If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
– Designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.
– Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.
– Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or put your cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
Put Your Phone Away or Pay
– When you get behind the wheel, be an example to your family and friends by putting your phone away. Just because other people do it doesn’t mean texting and driving is “normal” behavior.
– In 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, texting while driving is an illegal, ticketable offense. You could end up paying a hefty fine and get points on your license.
– If you see someone texting while driving, speak up. If your friend is text while driving, tell them to stop. Listen to your passengers: If they catch you texting while driving and tell you to put your phone away, put it down.
– Remember, when you get behind the wheel, put your phone away. U Drive. U Text. U Pay.
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