Distracted Driving

Source: Distraction.Gov

A MESSAGE FROM
SECRETARY LAHOOD

Every single time you take your eyes off the road or talk on the phone while you’re driving – even for just a few seconds – you put yourself and others in danger.

Distracted driving is an epidemic on America’s roadways. You see it every day: Drivers swerving in their lanes, stopping at green lights, running red ones, or narrowly missing a pedestrian because they have their eyes and minds on their phones instead of the road. Yet, people continue to assume that they can drive and text or talk at the same time.

The results are preventable accidents. In 2009 alone, nearly 5,500 people were killed and 450,000 more were injured in distracted driving crashes. And these aren’t just statistics – they’re parents, children, neighbors, and friends.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to ending distracted driving, but we can’t do it alone. So we created Distraction.gov to raise awareness and provide information to people who want to get the facts on the issue, get involved in their communities, and help make our roads safer for all Americans.

There’s one message we hope everyone receives loud and clear: the safest way to get from one place to another is to hang up and drive. Powering down your cell phone when you’re behind the wheel can save lives – maybe even your own.

LaHood Signature
Secretary of Transportation