April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month: What families want you to know
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and some parents are working to remind the public about the deadly consequences of inattention behind the wheel.
In 2021, there were 3,522 people killed in traffic crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — an average of 10 people every day. Of those, 828 people who died were in California.
A recent victim of a distracted driving crash was Benjamin Montalvo from Los Angeles County. The 21-year-old and his friend were riding bicycles when an intoxicated driver, who was texting her boyfriend, hit and killed him.
High-speed chase ends with crash in San Ysidro
His parents, Kellie and Eddie, came to San Diego on Monday to remind people of the deadly consequences for not paying attention while driving.
“His killer exchanged 24 text in the six minutes surrounding the crash,” Kellie Montalvo said. “Then there was a gap of 59 seconds, which she was no longer texting. That was the exact minute when [Ben] was struck and killed.”
“I want everybody to know that he was a great kid, a great human being,” Eddie added. “When you’re driving distracted, or under any substance, you can destroy your life. You can destroy a great individual.”
Their full conversation with FOX 5 can be viewed in the player below:
A spokesperson with the Auto Club of Southern California say drivers need to be disciplined about not checking phones while operating a vehicle. They suggest silencing notifications before hitting the road.
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