April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

VOORHEES, N.J. -- April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and AAA South Jersey is reminding drivers and passengers of the deadly dangers of distracted driving.

While driving 55 miles per hour, taking your eyes off the road for five seconds is like traveling the length of a football field blindfolded.

According to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2020. That’s an average of nine lives lost each day, although experts believe the numbers are much higher due to the causes of these types of crashes being vastly underreported.

Among drivers involved in fatal crashes, police-reported distraction was most common among drivers younger than 20 years old.

Recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research the majority of drivers perceived unsafe driving behaviors as very or extremely dangerous, and yet, many admitted to doing these behaviors at least once in the previous 30 days.

To stay focused behind the wheel and prevent driving “intexticated,” AAA South Jersey recommends you:

• Use the Driving Focus features on your smartphone.
• Pull over if you have to call or text someone.
• Speak up if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
• Put it away. Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
• Know where you’re going. If using GPS, program the destination before driving.
• Ask passengers for help. If with someone, ask for help to navigate, make a call or text.
• Don’t be a distraction. Avoid calling or texting others when you know they are driving.

Recently, AAA South Jersey teamed up with law enforcement, state officials and other community groups to cut down on crashes on the White Horse Pike, a particularly dangerous road in our region. Many of these crashes can be attributed to distracted driving.

There have been 11,251 crashes on the White Horse Pike since 2010, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. More than 7,000 of these crashes involved driver inattention or distracted driving.

“We have repeatedly seen deadly car crashes on the White Horse Pike and we are determined to reduce the number of lives lost because so many of these incidents can be prevented,” said Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay. “And we have noticed a common theme in these crashes: distracted driving and disregarding the speed limit. Too often drivers are looking at their cellphones and ignoring the speed limit, resulting in catastrophe.”

The $400,000 initiative, funded by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, aims to cut down on crashes and enhance pedestrian safety through increased patrols, education, and community outreach.