Distracted Driving Awareness: Law Enforcement Perspective

Everyday roughly nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes involving distracted driving. Distracted drivers are nearly four times as likely to be involved in a crash than drivers focused on driving.

Distracted driving is not a new phenomenon – however the risks involved with driving while texting are much higher. Drivers who are texting are more than 20 times as likely to be involved in a crash than focused drivers.

Recently VRSA Public Safety Specialist Gary Dillon spoke with several Virginia police chiefs to learn more about how distracted driving has changed throughout their careers.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police encourages municipal governments to share information on distracted driving with citizens. The organization has published talking points for police chiefs to use in community education and outreach measures, as well as a guide to Promising Practices and Lessons Learned from the Field.

As community leaders, law enforcement play a crucial role in improving distracted driving education and enforcement in the communities they serve. For more information on distracted driving awareness, visit: www.vrsa.us