April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and more than 200 law enforcement agencies across the state are launching high-visibility enforcement operations in an effort to save lives and eliminate dangerous behind-the-wheel distractions.
CHP Officer David Martinez says in recent years, hundreds have been killed and thousands seriously injured in California as a result of collisions that involved at least one driver who was distracted. Talking, texting or browsing on a cell phone are the most often talked about driving distractions, but Officer Martinez says any activity that diverts the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving is distracting.*
According to research, sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. Even a three second glance at freeway speeds means a driver has traveled the distance of a football field.