Share Button

Many measures have been taken recently to curb the epidemic of distracted driving – a major contributor to auto accidents which could lead to higher auto insurance rates or, at worst, an injury or a fatality. In an effort to take a nation wide stand on the issue, the National Safety Council is holding the first inaugural National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April 2011.

The campaign is intended to spread awareness about the risk distracted drivers pose to others and themselves in an effort to encourage people to resist the desire to do anything that may take their focus off the road.

State legislation

Some states have already taken steps to curb distracted driving through drivers’ auto insurance bills. Many states have passed similar bans on the use of cell phones behind the wheel, while others have specifically outlawed texting.

New York recently introduced a law that makes driving while using a handheld phone a reckless driving offence. If caught, distracted drivers in the state may have up to two points added to their auto insurance rating, which may lead to higher premiums.

There may even be an increase in the number of people applying for auto insurance in April 2011, as greater awareness may lead some individuals to feel they need more coverage, as distracted drivers make roads less safe.

Distracted driving not necessary

One of the main points that the National Safety council intends to get across over the month is that distracted driving is often not necessary. People may attempt to be more efficient with their time by multi-tasking while driving, but sometimes the texts and phone calls they take aren’t emergencies, and could be handled later.

“If drivers can go one month without using their phones while driving, they will find out – as many of us have – work still gets done,” said Jennifer Smith, president of FocusDriven. “Many drivers realize most of the calls they thought were so important, really aren’t. It is our hope drivers will decide to make the change permanently. Doing so will make our roadways safer for everyone.”

The awareness efforts may be having some success. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of people observed using handheld devices dropped from 1 percent to 0.6 percent between 2008 and 2009.