Distracted Driving Awareness

  • Print
Details
Created on Thursday, 02 April 2015 20:20
Written by Katrina Floranza

distracted drivingVERMONT- The month of April is dedicated to raising awareness to distracted drivers. Authorities are urging the public to keep their eyes on the road at all times, not just during Distracted Driving Awareness month.

 

About 700,000 Americans are using their cell phones and other electronic devices right at this current moment, according to the United States Department of Transportation.

However, authorities say distracted driving doesn't just pertain to cell phones or electronic devices like a GPS or iPod, distracted driving also pertains to engaging in full conversation with passengers, dancing, eating, drinking, etc.

Lieutenant Garry Scott of the Vermont State Police says that this issue needs to start directly from the source, "I think it's more of an education issue where we need to start getting parents on board with that. They're children will see their parents using their phone and mimic that behavior."

It is crucial to really stay focused on the road when driving, especially since Vermont enforced the Hand Held Law back in October of 2014. Since that law was put into place, the state police say that about 729 tickets and 728 warnings have been issued in Vermont to those using a hand held. There are about 16 states in the U.S. that also have enforced this law.