Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

It was just a normal Fall day…

Distracted Driving KillsWould you get in your car and drive after

having four shots of tequila or four beers?

…then go ahead and talk on your cell phone.

…how about eight drinks?

…then go ahead and text while driving.

Distracted Driving KillsMultitasking is a myth – Don’t take our word

for it…

People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves," said neuroscientist Earl Miller. "The brain is very good at deluding itself."

Miller, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, says that for the most part, we simply can't focus on more than one thing at a time.

"Switching from task to task, you think you're actually paying attention to everything around you at the same time. But you're actually not," Miller said.

Distracted Driving KillsWhat Are The Facts?

The National Safety Council (NCS) estimates that nearly 28 percent of crashes – about 1.6 million a year – can be attributed to cell phone talking and texting while driving.

80 percent of all crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some type of distraction. (Source: Virginia Tech 100-car study for NHTSA)

6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured. (NHTSA)

The worst offenders are the youngest and least-experienced drivers: men and women under 20 years of age. (NHTSA)

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

Distracted Driving KillsIt’s not just about facts and probability.

It can be very personal.

Distracted Driving KillsOK…it’s illegal to text while driving, but can

we at least talk on cell phones?

FACT: More crashes occur because people were talking on cell phones than texting.

Well, OK, but how about hands-free?

FACT: There is no statistical difference in accident frequency between hand set use and hands free calls.

“…and my phone rang…”

We all think it’s going to be somebody else that it happens to, but that someone else could very well be you, or someone that you care about.

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving KillsThe movement is growing in dramatic

ways.

Distracted Driving KillsUS Highway Traffic Accident Deaths Have

Dropped Steadily.

From 5.5 per 100mm miles in 1966…

To 1.2 per 100mm miles in 2009.

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

Distracted Driving Kills

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Distracted Driving KillsSo what can you do?

Take the pledge.

Talk to your friends and family.

Stay informed.

Stop Phoning and Driving - In Memory of Brian

Distracted Driving Kills

Questions?