The Arlington Police is joining DRIVE SMART Virginia, the Virginia Highway Safety Office and the Virginia State Police in recognizing April 28th as Distracted Driving Awareness Day in Virginia.

 

Distracted Driving is a growing problem throughout the country and is recognized as a major cause in many roadway crashes.

 

Driving while distracted may be described as any activity that takes one’s eyes and/or mind off of the task of driving. Common distractions behind the wheel include eating or drinking, personal grooming, cell phone use and reading. Since cell phone use while driving occurs the most frequently, it is one of the most dangerous behaviors. While it is not illegal to talk on a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle, it is against the law to text while driving.

 

“We know that people are busier than ever these days, but it is not safe to use your drive time as your down time. We need to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and encourage people to keep their eyes on the road,” says Sergeant Ricky Clagett. 

 

A Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study determined that in 8 of 10 crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes, a distracted driving action occurred within three seconds of the incident.