Distracted Driving Awareness Month a chance to reevaluate what you do behind the wheel, experts say
Next month is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and safety advocates consider it a chance to re-evaluate what you do behind the wheel.
Channel 11 spoke with state police who said it’s also the perfect time to have a talk with young drivers.
“It’s very, very nerve-wracking, to be honest,” admits Patrik McKain, the parent of a new driver.
It’s the life of a parent with a new teen driver in the house. McKain, of Canonsburg, says he’s always going over the rules of the road with his 17-year-old son, Colin. McKain knows the distractions are endless these days, for teens and adults.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Rocco Gagliardi agrees.
“I’d still say the biggest factor right now is probably Facetime while driving...they’ll just have a phone conversation on Facetime while driving,” said Gagliardi.
But Gagliardi also said distracted driving is so much more than a cell phone. It’s putting on makeup, eating, loud music or looking at your kids in the back seat.
“If you and your crews go out right now probably on an interstate, you’re gonna see it all within 10 minutes,” said Gagliardi.
And it’s leading to devastating numbers. According to PennDOT, about one in four crashes in Pennsylvania involve distracted driving and 400 people are killed every year in the state. It’s the reason Pennsylvania puts limits on the number of passengers a young driver can have in their car.
“We definitely make sure we understand who his passengers will be. And, you know, make sure that he abides by that,” said McKain.
Gagliardi says parent involvement is especially important this time of year, with warmer weather and prom season on the way.
“There’s been plenty of times where myself and other troopers have been the first on scene and they have to go handle a death notification to the family...it’s nothing we ever want to do,” said Gagliardi.
Gagliardi said if a school or community group is interested in a safety presentation, it’s always free and available through state police.
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