By Shawn Thomas / Coconino County Public Health Services District Policy Analyst
Have you ever run late for work?
Perhaps to make up time, you began eating your bagel, applied last minute touches to your hair or makeup, fiddled with your GPS or responded to that text message from last night.
Whatever the reason, if you’re guilty of doing any of these actions while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle, you’re guilty of “distracted driving”.
Distracted driving is described as any activity that diverts a person’s attention away from driving safely. Inattentive drivers pose risks to not only the driver, but their passengers, other motorists and bystanders.
There are three main types of distractions, including:
- Visual: The driver takes their eyes off the road
- Manual: Taking one’s hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: Taking your mind off of driving.
The activity that combines all three distractions is typing text messages while driving, which presents the greatest danger to motorists. Using a portable communication device, such as a cellphone, while driving runs a close second.
So how serious is the issue?
In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in crashes that involved distracted drivers; 421,000 people were injured in vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, which is a nine-percent increase over 2011, according to the US Department of Transportation. Moreover, nearly one in five crashes in which someone was injured involved a distracted driver.
Studies have shown that motorists operating cellphones are six times more likely to be involved in a traffic accident, while motorists that text and drive are 23-three times more at-risk of being involved in a crash, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.
To help decrease distracted driving within Coconino County, in April, the Board of Supervisors adopted a law (Ordinance No 2014-09) that prohibits motor vehicle operators from using a portable communications device while driving unless they are using a hands-free mobile device. Similar measures have been taken across the country.
The law is in effect across the entire county, including in incorporated areas, unless formal action is taken by individual cities and town councils. If you are unsure of your town’s particular ordinance, please check with your local governments to determine the level of restrictions on the use of mobile devices while driving.
For more information about distracted driving ordinances, please contact the County Public Health Services District at 928-679-7272. For more information on national distracted driving laws and statistics, visit http://www.distraction.gov/.
— Shawn Thomas is a policy analyst with the Coconino County Public Health Services District. Contact him at 928-679-7333 or sthomas@coconino.az.gov for more information.