Sheldon, Iowa — April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a time to take stock of your driving habits, and how they could be improved.
In 2019, distracted driving killed 3,142 people – a 10% increase from 2018. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Kevin Krull says they’re trying to reverse the trend.
(as said) “We have been working pretty hard trying to identify those that are distracted and pulling them off to the side of the road and dealing with them… just trying to raise awareness of this dangerous driving habit. Trying to make it safer.”
He says usually the phones are the culprit, but they’re certainly not the only distraction. It could be talking to others in the car, setting your navigation, adjusting what you’re listening to, drinking coffee, applying makeup, and more. By driving distracted, you’re robbing yourself of seconds that you may need to avoid a close call or deadly crash.
(as said) “Actually the last crash I covered was somebody that was actually distracted because they’re eating food trying to drive and eat food and they didn’t see the vehicle in front of them was slowing down and actually came to stop and rear-ended them. So, there are other types of distracted driving. Food, would be one… food and beverage, just being in deep thought, thinking of other things other than driving. So we ask people just use that conscious effort to raise their awareness and be conscious of the fact that they’re driving and it’s not a multitasking sport. It’s what they need to be concentrating on fully to avoid any serious crashes and hurting anybody including themselves.”
Highway safety experts say if you need to send a text or access a remote computer for some reason from your phone, you need to pull over and park your car in a safe location. Only then is it safe to send or read a text or navigate on your phone. They also suggest that you designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages. And don’t scroll through apps, including social media, while driving. Cell phone use can be habit-forming. If you are struggling to not text and drive they say you should put the cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of the vehicle until you arrive at your destination. There are also special sleeves you can put your phone in that prevent incoming calls and texts. We have some of them at KIWA while supplies last.
Krull says many fatalities are due to lane departure, which is often caused by distracted driving.
