Pennsylvania Injury Attorneys Blog
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and motorists across the country are urged to drive distraction free.
In a news release from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch said, “Driving is a serious job the requires your full attention, all of the time. Distractions come in all forms, and we all need to take personal responsibility for our actions behind the wheel — that includes avoiding distractions.”
Some examples of distractions includes:
- talking on a cell phone or texting
- eating
- grooming
- adjusting devices such as radios and GPSs
- attending to children or pets
- interacting with other passengers in the vehicle
It’s especially important for young, inexperienced drivers to avoid distractions, as they can increase the risk of a crash. In 2012, more than 14,600 crashes involved distracted driving with 57 deaths in those crashes. Last March, a state law went into effect that bans text-based communication while driving, with a $50 fine for violating the law.
PennDOT offers some safety tips for avoiding distracted driving:
- Store or turn off cell phones while driving. If you must make an emergency call, safely pull over to the side of the road.
- If traveling alone, set your GPS, radio and temperature controls before hitting the road.
- If traveling with pets, be sure that they are properly restrained. Better yet, leave them at home. Even a minor crash can result in a major injury to a pet if it is not properly restrained.
- Never operate your vehicle and attend to a child at the same time.
- If you drop an object while driving, leave it until you reach your destination.