Each year, distracted driving is responsible for a greater number of car crashes and a greater number of deaths on Virginia’s roadways. More drivers are distracted and whether it’s their phone, eating, or changing the radio, the results can be deadly.
In 2011
- 53,884 people were injured in crashes on Virginia roadways
- 751 people died in crashes in Virginia (DMV, preliminary)
- 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes were caused by distracted driving
Punching in a number takes just a few seconds, but when you’re traveling at least 55mph, you’ll drive the length of a football field while looking down at your phone. That’s dangerous. And even if someone calls you, talking on the phone increases your chances for a crash by four times .
Studies have shown that when you are talking on the phone or texting you will experience cognitive blindness, meaning your eyes are open but your brain is not processing what you see.
That’s why sharing information about distracted driving is so important.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but the time is now to start planning on how you will share this important information with your employees and your citizens.
Join DRIVE SMART Virginia and VML Insurance Programs in reminding everyone that driving distracted can be deadly, so buckle up and put the phone down.
DRIVE SMART Virginia has a number of helpful outreach tools for Distracted Driving Awareness Month on their website, including sample tweets, sample e-mail ideas, and a sample newsletter article. Examples of tweets include:
- One text or call could wreck it all.
- Buckle up, phone down.
VML Insurance Programs also offers a wealth of information on safe driving including bulletins, videos, and defensive driving training tools. For more information on these and other resources visit: www.vrsa.us.
VMLIP offers more than just coverage. We are partners in risk management.
How does your insurer stack up? Having all lines of coverage with VMLIP ensures that your organization is receiving comprehensive coverage and a wide variety of value-added services tailored to Virginia’s local governmental entities. Call for a quote today: (800) 963-6800.
For more information on VMLIP visit: www.vrsa.us or follow us on Facebook.