Message from the Chief – Distracted Driving

Message from the Chief – Distracted Driving – Do you realize the dangers of distracted driving? Did you know there’s an ordinance within Aransas Pass City Limits, and some other Coastal Bend Cities, that bans the use of a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle?

Let’s look as some of the facts from just one source, DISTRACTION.GOV:

  • The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.
  • 10% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
  • Drivers in their 20s make up 27 percent of the distracted drivers in fatal crashes. – (NHTSA)
  • Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. – (2009, VTTI)
  • Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. – (VTTI)

What Price Are you Willing to Pay?

If you would like to learn more about the dangers of distracted driving, head on over to http://www.distraction.gov.