According to traffic safety facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, each day approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes reported involving a distracted driver. Lieutenant Brad Norland with the Minnesota State Patrol describes the three types of distracted driving that lead to crashes. “We have a major problem that is threatening all of our lives and safety on the highway,” said Norland. “That is distracted driving. Distracted driving is anything that takes your attention away from the act of driving. There is visual, manual and cognitive distraction. Visual distraction is taking your eyes off the roadway. Manual is taking your hands off the steering wheel and filling them with other things. Cognitive is taking your mind off of driving. So thinking about your day, daydreaming, thinking about anything other than driving. We need everyone on the road to be accountable for their actions and drive safely on our roadways.“
Different distractions can include texting/using a cellphone, eating/drinking, talking to passengers, groom, using radio or watching a video, reading maps or a GPS system. Norland said law enforcement and the Toward Zero Deaths Coalition wants everyone to get where they are going safely. “We don’t want any more people hurt or seriously injured or killed in our crashes because of distracted driving,” said Norland. “We care about you and want you to be safe.”
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