How many will it take?
Its a question the National Safety Council asks this month in regards to distracted driving and the thousands of deaths they cause every year.
According to the NSC, almost 25 percent of car crashes involve cell phone use. That’s why they’ve named April Distracted Driving Awareness Month, in order to encourage drivers in California car rentals to hang-up and keep their eyes on the road. It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving across the street or across town, you can wait to send an email, respond to a text, or answer a call.
What’s more, in order to further bolster the importance of distraction-free driving, a California Court ruled earlier this month that it is now illegal to check maps on your phone while driving.
How Distracted Driving Awareness Month Came to Be
National Distracted Driving Awareness Month launched back in 2010. Introduced as a resolution by former Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO) and passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in a 410-2 vote on March 23, the resolution mentions 9-year-old Erica Forney, who was struck and killed by a distracted driver in 2008. Erica’s mother, Shelley Forney, is a found board member of FocusDriven, an advocate group that calls for cell-free driving.
Distracted Driving is Deadly
According to a recent study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers aren’t listening when it comes to distracted driving legislature. The report found that at any time during daylight hours some 660,000 people are using a mobile phone or electronic device while driving. What’s more, some 3,300 peopled died in 2011 and more than 387,000 were injured thanks to crashes involving a distracted driver.
Increased Enforcement Targeting Distracted Drivers
If you’re guilty of texting while driving, beware – the LAPD has you on their radar! The Los Angeles Police Department is warning travelers in California car rentals to put their phones down as officers will be on the lookout for distracted drivers all April long.
Officers will be looking specifically for drivers who are texting or holding their cell phone while operating a vehicle.
More than 2,000 citations were issued during the first week of the 2013 campaign. Officers issued 1,757 citations for driving while talking on a cell phone and 284 citations for texting while driving in LA County. This is down compared to last year’s numbers: officers issues 2,404 citations for driving while talking on a cell phone between April 1 and April 7 – roughly 700 more than this year.
During the same campaign last April over 57,000 tickets were written state-wide for texting and handheld cellphone use.
The increased enforcement is part of a month-long distracted driving sting, which is intended to correspond with Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Another driver safety campaign, Safety on Sunset (SOS) will also be in operation this month. This initiative also aims to curb bad and distracting driving habits on Sunset Boulevard.
The Ban on Mapping Software
Almost every smartphone now comes equipped with some sort of mapping technology. As such, it’s not uncommon for travelers in California car rentals to use these mapping tools to improve their commute. However, now if you’re caught fiddling with your GPS while driving through the sunshine state, you could find yourself slapped with a hefty fine.
A driver in California argued that the state laws regarding distracted driving pertained to talking, texting, and using the Internet on a cellphone while driving only, and did not apply to the use of a mapping program. The court overruled this argument, ruling that if travelers in California car rentals want to use a mapping program while driving in the state, they need to do it without touching a mobile device. (The Google Maps app, for example offers exceptional spoken turn-by-turn directions that can be initiated when your vehicles is parked.)
It’s worth noting here that officers in LA can cite travelers in Los Angeles for talking or texting on a cell phone, eating, drinking coffee, playing with the radio, and now using a GPS device. Essentially, if the officer determines that whatever you are doing in the car is affecting your driving, you can and will be issued a citation.
Pledge to Drive Cellphone-Free
Driving one of our California car rentals is a complex task that requires your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Drivers who engage in cellphone use when operating one of our California car rentals are cognitively and physically distracted from the task at hand. Studies have shown that this distraction can cause a driver to see up to 50 percent less of their driving environment including stop signs, pedestrians, other vehicles, and red lights.
Don’t let yourself become distracted when driving one of our California car rentals. Take the pledge to drive distraction-free today on the NSC website.
Employers can also take a stand against distracted driving this month by downloading the NSC’s free Cell Phone Policy Kit.
Keep your eyes on the road. Don’t let distractions detract from your driving!
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