If you are driving, you shouldn’t be reading this. Put down the phone and wait until you get home but — by all means — do read. After all, Distracted Driving Awareness Month is one of those rare month designations that demands attention. With all due respect to lovers of fibrous vegetables, we believe it is a little more significant than National Fresh Celery Month, which also is acknowledged during April.
Unlike an ode to our favorite green stalks, Distracted Driving Month speaks to a growing scourge. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, 700 accidents last year were attributed to people not paying attention to the road, with 139 of those resulting in fatalities. In Clark County, six fatalities were blamed upon distracted driving.
This, unfortunately, cannot be regarded as a temporary problem. The fact is that as smartphones become more and more ingrained in everyday life, so does the risk of drivers who are texting or checking out Facebook or otherwise posing a danger to fellow motorists. A statewide survey conducted last year determined that 9.2 percent of drivers were noticeably distracted when behind the wheel.
The odds are that you have heard all these warnings and have heard all the evidence about the prevalence of inattentive driving, but the words bear repeating because that is what will create change.
Consider the social movement that has helped draw scrutiny to drinking and driving, an act that once warranted little more than a nod and a wink but now is roundly scorned. That societal shift started largely with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, an organization that raised awareness and pressed states to enact more stringent laws against driving while impaired. Today, phrases such as “friends don’t let friends drive drunk” and “drink responsibly” are part of the lexicon.
Attaching a stigma to drunk driving has helped make the roads safer for all. Nationally, traffic fatalities have gone from 10.89 per 100 million miles traveled in 1940, to 3.35 in 1980, to 1.11 in 2010. Safer vehicles have contributed to that, but social movements to reduce drunk driving and increase the use of seat belts also have played a large role.
Now it is time to put the same kind of effort into reducing distracted driving. To that end, state Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, deserves credit for her focus upon the issue. Rivers introduced a bill that has passed the Senate and would prohibit drivers from holding a phone, tablet, or other electronic device when behind the wheel. A companion bill, which also would increase the penalties for distracted driving, is being considered by the House of Representatives, where Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, is one of the co-sponsors.
Of course, laws by themselves will not alter habits. That will require adequate and effective enforcement, and Rivers stressed that her bill repeals a current law “and replaces it with a much more simple and easier-to-enforce piece of law.”
This month, law enforcement is paying particular attention to drivers who are using cellphones as part of a “U Text, U Drive, U Pay” program. The need is obvious. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, looking away from the road for five seconds while on a highway is akin to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
So, the message is clear. Your phone can wait until you arrive at your destination and can safely look at it — all while enjoying some delicious celery.
