{"id":2201,"date":"2021-04-12T16:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T16:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/?p=2201"},"modified":"2021-04-05T16:29:51","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T16:29:51","slug":"april-is-distracted-driving-awareness-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/april-is-distracted-driving-awareness-month\/","title":{"rendered":"April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on our roads. While drivers texting behind the wheel tops what seems like an endless list of distractions, other risky actions include talking on the phone, setting your navigation, adjusting what you\u2019re listening to, drinking coffee, applying makeup, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By driving distracted, you\u2019re robbing yourself of seconds that you may need to avoid a close call or deadly crash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2019,&nbsp;the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported distracted driving&nbsp;killed 3,142 people \u2013 a 10% increase from 2018. Young drivers seem more prone to using their phones while driving.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to NHTSA research from 2017, drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers have since 2007. But make no mistake:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>It isn\u2019t just young people who are driving distracted, since drivers in other age groups don\u2019t lag far behind.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Drive Responsibly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>April, which is national Distracted Driving Awareness Month, is a good time to regroup and take responsibility for the choices we make when we\u2019re on the road. Follow these safety tips for a safe ride every time:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Need to send a text? Pull over and park your car in a safe location. Only then is it safe to send or read a text.<\/li><li>Designate your passenger as your \u201cdesignated texter.\u201d Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.<\/li><li>Do not scroll through apps, including social media, while driving. Cell phone use can be habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Put the cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of the vehicle until you arrive at your destination.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Consequences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During a portion of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, from April 8 through 12, you may see increased law enforcement on the roadways as part of the national paid media campaign&nbsp;<strong>\u201c<em>U Drive. U Text. U Pay<\/em>.\u201d<\/strong> (https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/campaign\/distracted-driving).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This campaign reminds drivers of the deadly dangers and the legal consequences \u2013 including fines \u2013 of texting behind the wheel. Also, on April 8 state highway safety offices and law enforcement agencies across the country will take part in Connect to Disconnect, a 4-hour national distracted driving enforcement and awareness initiative.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goals: (1) to demonstrate a nationwide commitment to enforcing texting laws in a fair and equitable way, and (2) to reduce traffic crashes caused by distracted drivers, ultimately preventing injuries and deaths associated with cell phone use and texting while driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Forty-eight states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers; 25 states and territories prohibit drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving; and 39 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands ban cell phone use by teen or novice drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Harsh Law, we want you to be safe and travel without injury. However, there are times when a collision cannot be avoided \u2013 if you or a loved one has been affected by a distracted driver, call us at (909) 793-6261 to discuss your case as part of a complimentary consultation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on our roads. While drivers texting behind the wheel tops what seems like an endless list of distractions, other risky actions include talking on the phone, setting your navigation, adjusting what you\u2019re listening to, drinking coffee, applying makeup, and more.&nbsp; By driving distracted, you\u2019re robbing yourself of seconds [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[151,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-car-accidents","category-personal-injuries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2202,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201\/revisions\/2202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harshlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}