By CCSO Sgt. Mike Cullen
Statistics show that every day in the United States, about eight people are killed in crashes where distracted driving is reportedly involved. While anyone can get distracted while behind the wheel, research shows drivers 16 to 24 years old were seen using electronic devices at a higher rate than older drivers since 2007.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is joining forces with other Nevada Law Enforcement agencies to increase enforcement on distracted driving violations from April 10th through April 19th.
Studies show, distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. Alcohol-related accidents among teens have dropped. However, teenage traffic fatalities have remained unchanged, because distracted driving continues to be on the rise. While over 90 percent of teen drivers say they don’t drink and drive, 9 out of 10 say they’ve seen passengers distracting the driver, or drivers using cell phones.
It is not always the common distractions that we see; anything that takes your attention from the road is a potential hazard such as eating, drinking, and tuning the radio. More than 80 percent of all drivers admit to blatantly hazardous behavior: changing clothes, steering with a foot, painting nails, and shaving.
Be responsible, focus on driving, follow traffic safety laws and arrive safely.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office remains dedicated to bringing the number of fatalities on our roadways to zero through increasing public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. More information about safe driving and the state’s Zero Fatalities goal is available online at www.ZeroFatalitiesNV.com.
