April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month – a good time to remind yourself, friends and family of the dangers of driving while distracted.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “It takes about five seconds, on average, to read or send a text. Not a lot of time. But, in that span of time, with your eyes on your phone and not on the road, a vehicle travelling 55 miles per hour can travel the length of a football field. In that instant, over that distance, a life can be taken—maybe even yours. Distracted driving killed 3,477 people on America’s roads in 2015.”

Common distractions are:

  1. Electronic devices – cell phones, especially!
  2. Eating and drinking
  3. Adjusting the air or heat
  4. Adjusting music
  5. Looking at yourself in the mirror
  6. Sometimes, even pets in the car!

Make a committment today to avoid dstracted driving – it truly could save your life or someone else’s.