April, Distracted Driving Awareness Month – How Distracted Are You?

April is, for the first time in history, the National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the US. A month that represents the struggle of a nation to take its eyes and hands off the screen of the cell phone and place them where they should be, on the road. A month of nationwide efforts to reduce distracted driving that has managed to do little so far. One that might become, in the not-so-distant future, a time of celebration, a behind-the-wheel Halloween of some sorts.

Despite the repeated failures to make the Americans understand that texting and driving will not make you cool, but rather cold, US authorities keep on trying. It's their duty. This year, it's likely we'll see a flood of ideas spread throughout the nation's poles, highways, TV screens and such, one more horrific then the other, and all intended to at least scare the distracted out of their distraction. Hopes are not high, though.

"Drivers simply do not realize the dangers that are posed when they take their eyes and minds off the road and their hands off the wheel and focus on activities other than driving," said Carol T. Rawson, Traffic Operations Division director for the Texas Department of Transportation.

But, as said, authorities will keep on trying. In Texas, where 100,000 crashes caused by distracted driving took place last year (408 fatal) April will be dominated by the Talk. Text. Crash. campaign. What is the campaign all about? Nothing, really, Just a request by the authorities, backed by an ad here and there, to put away your cell while driving.

“'Talk. Text. Crash.' reminds Texans of the consequences associated with distracted driving. Eliminating distractions and putting away their cell phones while driving can and will save lives," added Rawson.