Texting, other
distractions have led to thousands of crashes in Kansas
TOPEKA,
Kan. — In 2017, 28 percent of all traffic crashes in Kansas were attributed to
driver inattention or distractions. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month
and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and law enforcement agencies
across the state are working to educate drivers of the dangers of driving while
distracted. Kansans will see a multi-media campaign running to support these
efforts.
While
distracted driving is most often associated with cell phone use, many other
situations can cause distractions in the car. Interacting with children, eating
food, using other electronic devices, and even things happening outside the
vehicle contributed to more than 16,000 distracted driving crashes in Kansas in
2017.
“Taking
your eyes off the road to send a text is like driving blindfolded down a
football field,” said Chris Bortz, Traffic Safety Program Manager for KDOT.
“You wouldn’t risk driving blindfolded, yet we see people on their phones or
eating or putting on makeup every day on our roads.”
Many
people may not know that distracted driving can be a ticketable offense in
Kansas. For example, any texting, social media or internet activity on your
phone can lead to a minimum $60 ticket plus court costs. However, the worst
result of distracted driving would be to cause an injury or death.
“We
are facing an epidemic. Too many people are injured or killed due to
inattention on our roads. Distracted driving crashes are 100 percent
preventable,” said KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz. “Protecting yourself, your
passengers and other Kansans is as simple as putting the phone down and
avoiding all other distractions in the car.”
Law
enforcement officers also encourage Kansans to “just drive” when they are
behind the wheel. If your attention is anywhere other than the road, you’re
driving distracted, and you’re driving dangerous. Drivers can minimize
distractions by turning off electronic devices and keeping both eyes on the
road ahead at all times. They also encourage passengers to hold their driver
accountable and to not be a distraction themselves.
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