Kansas kicks off Distracted Driving Awareness Month
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The Drive To Zero Coalition, along with the Kansas Department of Transportation, urges drivers to always put safety first and ditch distractions, as inattention is the main cause of motor vehicle crashes.
Preliminary 2023 data for Kansas shows 102 people died, and more than 450 people were injured in crashes due to distracted driving.
During the month, Kansas motorists will hear and see more distracted driving safety messages. Increased law enforcement will remind drivers any distraction, including texting, is unsafe, unnecessary and illegal.
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“Distracted driving for any reason is dangerous and puts others at risk,” said Gary Herman, KDOT behavior safety manager. “As soon as your eyes leave the road and your hands leave the steering wheel, focus on driving is gone. This results in no time to safely react to traffic hazards.”
Herman said distractions include eating, sipping a beverage, turning attention to a child in the backseat and texting.
Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows drivers ages 18-34 represent the most distracted drivers, namely due to cell phone use
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