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Overview
Driving is a complex behavior that demands constant attention to the road. The three main types of distracted driving involve drivers removing:
- Their eyes from the road
- Their hands from the wheel
- Their minds from the task of driving
Distracted driving is a mounting concern, as modern technology contributes to all three types ofdistraction. The risk of a crash escalates when drivers send texts,
make or receive calls on their cell
phones, or interact with social media while driving.
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When operating a vehicle all of these activities can distract a driver from the task at hand, increasing the likelihood of a fatal crash. Of the 3,733 highway fatalities in Kentucky between 2014 and 2018, 843 involved distracted driving—22 percent of all deaths. These numbers likely understate the problem, as it can be difficult to identify and/or prove distraction as a contributing factor to a crash.
Opportunities
Attitudes toward the usage of cell phones while driving must be changed in order to prevent the negative outcomes
associated with distracted driving. To that end, this SHSP includes multiple strategies for combatting distracted driving
in Kentucky, including:
• Supporting legislative action to ban handheld devices while driving.
• Developing media campaigns that emphasize “Buckle up, phone down.”
• Implementing intersection design improvements to increase the visibility of signals, signage, and delineation. |
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