How Five Seconds Can Change Your Life

Are you guilty of texting and driving? Maybe checking the alert that just popped up? Do you sneak a peek? Only at stop signs or red lights? Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. 

Do you really think you can safely drive 120 yards without looking? Think about the child running in the street after a ball. Or, the bicyclist riding next to you. Or, the driver in the oncoming car who is also texting. 

Distracted Driving Can Kill

It's just not worth the risk or your life. About 7% of the people who died in distraction-affected crashes in 2023 were teens 15 to 19 years old according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, There were 286 people who died in crashes in 2023 that involved distracted teen drivers 15 to 19. In 2023 there were 3,275 people killed and an estimated additional 324,819 people injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers. Texting while driving is already banned in Massachusetts and 49 other states. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among U.S. teens. About 2,800 teens ages 13–19 were killed and about 227,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2020. The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens ages 16–19 than among any other age group. 

Don't Be a Statistic

• Only use your cell phone for true emergency situations
• Pull over when you feel drowsy
• Limit the number of passengers and activity inside the car
• Avoid eating while driving. 

Whatever you're doing besides driving can wait! Driving distracted is deadly, not only to you and your passengers, but also to everyone else on the road.