DISTRACTED (TEXTING WHILE) DRIVING

1. DISTRACTED (TEXTING WHILE) DRIVING STAYING FOCUSEDBEHIND THE WHEEL

2. What is distracted driving? Word of the Year 2009: Distracted Driving Distracted driving – what many are guilty of when they use digital devices on the go – is rapidly entering law books around the world and earns the 2009 Word of the Year choice at Webster’s New World® College Dictionary.

3. U.S. DOT Definition Distracted driving is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increases the risk of crashing.

4. EXAMPLES OF DISTRACTED DRIVING

5. DISTRACTED DRIVING…A GROWING PROBLEM In 2007, about 250 million had cell phones or about 82% of all Americans About 50 million had cell phones in 1997 About 1 million had cell phones in 1987

6. PRIMARY FORMS OF DISTRACTION V V M M Radio tuning C Hands free phone C V M Texting C M V Reaching C Visual—eyes off the road Manual—hands off wheel Cognitive—mind off the road

7. Crash involvement is four times greater • 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes involve some type of distraction • More than 500,000 were injured due to a distracted driver in 2008 • 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes that involved distracted or an inattentive driver “An important finding…is that 80 percent of all crashes…involved the driver looking away from the forward roadway just prior to the <crash>.” 100 – Car Study (DOT HS 810 593) 1

8. Texting while driving is illegal in… Map of Texting Bans Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute

9. …and South Dakota* Map of Texting Bans Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute

10. *SOUTH DAKOTA LAW 32-24-8. Any person who drives any vehicle upon a highway, alley, public park, recreational area, or upon the property of a public or private school, college, or university carelessly and without due caution, at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger any person or property, not amounting to reckless driving as defined in § 32-24-1, is guilty of careless driving.

11. SOUTH DAKOTA LAW Texting and Driving • Class 2 Misdemeanor • 30 days in jail • $500 fine • Or both

12. Taking Action

13. Resources www.distraction.gov

14. US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood… Eliminate Crashes Due to Distraction ENFORCEMENT PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY EDUCATION

15. PSA: DON’T TEXT WHILE DRIVING

16. What You Can Do • Set a good example • Before you drive, turn phone off or silence the ringer • Drive defensively • Manage your time • Remember that “driving time” is for driving • Help spread the word

17. What Law Enforcement Can Do Avoid texting while driving Establish policies for your agency Promote education and training on enforcing existing distracted driving laws Conduct HVE programs

18. What Employers Can Do Establish employee policies Create a culture of safety Conduct campaigns to raise awareness Don’t be afraid to ask for help

19. Model Language See Handouts: Texting Policy Model Legislation

20. Something to think about…

21. Additional Information http://dps.sd.gov/ www.nhtsa.dot.gov www.distraction.gov www.fmcsa.dot.gov www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov www.nhtsastatetv.com www.focusdriven.org

22. Contact Information JC Carpenter, Director South Dakota Office of Highway Safety 605-773-3178 james.carpenter@state.sd.us Mary Damon, Regional Program Manager NHTSA 720-963-3113 mary.damon@dot.gov