Soon after the beginning of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign.
In an effort to crack down on texting and driving, commercials were aired nationally and local law enforcement agencies across all 50 states cracked down on drivers texting while behind the wheel.
"This campaign puts distracted driving on par with our efforts to fight drunk driving or to encourage seatbelt use," Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a public statement.
According to the NHTSA more than 3,300 people were involved in fatal distracted driving crashes and another 421,000 suffered a personal injury. The new ads enforce how one in an instant a fatal crash can happen.
Similar effects such as Click It or Ticket or Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other have proved effective. Data released from distracted driving demonstrations in California and Delaware reveled that in time hand-held cellphone use dropped in each state after the first of three enforcement waves.
To prevent distracted driving, the Knoxville, TN car accident lawyers at Greg Coleman large urge drivers to:
- Turn off or put away all electronic devices before they start to drive
- If you are a passenger, speak up when the driver is on an electronic device or suggest that you make a call or send a text for them
- Always wear your seatbelt
- Be aware that other distractions such as eating and changing the radio dial also distract drivers
