Did you know that more drivers under the age of 20 are involved in fatal distracted driving accidents than any other group? In fact, new data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shown that drivers 15 to 19 are responsible for 13 percent of distracted driving crashes that result in death.
Recent efforts by NHTSA are continuing to paint the picture of the need for safer driving habits by providing such statistics. And this time, the NHTSA is not alone. In the last month, NASCAR, Front Row Motorsports, State Farm and AT&T have teamed up with the federal agency to host events that emphasize safe teen driving.
State Farm hosted more than 400 “Celebrate My Drive” events in locations across the nation. Complete with prizes and driving challenges, the events helped draw teens and their parents to learn more about the dangers of distracted driving – especially when it comes to drivers who are generally more inexperienced behind the wheel.
AT&T, in addition to the new commercials featuring stories of the last text a person sent before an serious car accident, has asked drivers to go online and sign a “It Can Wait” pledge that they will not text and drive.
At the Chicagoland speedway last month, NASCAR unveiled Front Row Motorsport’s distracted driving vehicle. Across the hood of the car (driven by David Ragan #34) is the message “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.”
While these major companies are partnering up to continue to send the message that distracted driving is dangerous for teens – and everyone else – it is important that these efforts are duplicated on the local level. The message has to start in your own home, and with your own driving habits.
Source: Fast Lane blog, “Distracted Driving safety effort has many partners,” 9/19/12.