5Ws+1H: What It's About: Distracted driving often caused by cell phones

Skyler Hammons |, Tahlequah Daily Press, Okla.
·2 min read

Apr. 16—April has been designated National Distracted Driving Month, shining a spotlight on hazards that can occur behind the wheel.

According to the American Automobile Association, only a few seconds of distracted driving can lead to a fatal crash.

Cherokee County Sheriff Jason Chennault said from his experience and that of his deputies, distracted driving is a common cause of crashes in this area. The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office crash database shows that in 2021, Cherokee County reported 25 injuries from 19 crashes wherein distracted driving was at least partly to blame.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show nine people die each day from distracted driving, with drivers under 44 years old among the main offenders. Drivers and passengers are not the only ones impacted; 621 people who weren't even in the offending vehicles were killed in related crashes in 2022.

Even though looking out the window for too long can cause distracted driving, technology also plays a significant role.

"Texting on cell phones and taking your eyes off the road to change the radio or the screen in your dash seems to be the new most common occurrence of distracted driving," Chennault said.

According to NHTSA, smartphones are involved in about 13% of distraction-related crashes each year. AAA reports other forms of distracted driving are passenger interactions, eating, drinking, smoking, and daydreaming.

AAA has several tips for avoiding distracted driving: putting the phone away, placing devices on Do Not Disturb, pulling over to call or text on the phone, and having passengers help with navigation or other needs.

"Most new vehicles have Bluetooth or similar forms of hands-free driving to help keep driver's attention on driving," Chennault said. "If your vehicle is not equipped with this type of technology, pull over to do whatever you need to do that may take your attention off safe driving. It's just not worth the risk of hurting yourself or somebody else to distract yourself from the responsibility of safe driving."