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Arizona Chapter National Safety Council

Distracted Driving

Commit to Driving Distraction Free

Avoid distractions and help create safer roads for everyone.

Each year, thousands of lives are lost, and hundreds of thousands are injured due to distracted driving crashes. The Arizona Department of Transportation for 2021 has reported that over 9,200 accidents were due to driver distraction. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that nine people in the U.S. are killed daily in crashes involving a distracted driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2019 research on distracted driving corroborates that alarming statistic.


What Is Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving includes any activity diverting attention from the road. It's not just cell phone use; eating, adjusting the stereo, talking with passengers, or searching for items in the car count, too. Multitasking while driving diminishes your reaction time, endangering everyone on the road.

Three Main Types of Driving Distractions:

Visual

Taking your eyes off the road for tasks like dialing, texting, and eating.

Manual

Manipulating controls, such as dialing a phone, adjusting the stereo, opening a bag of chips, or attending to a child or pet.

Cognitive

Becoming lost in thought or engrossed in conversation, leading to a lack of situational awareness.

Legal Consequences
Arizona law mandates hands-free cell phone use while driving. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 28-914 bars holding or supporting a device, texting, scrolling through social media, and other distracting activities. Violating these laws leads to fines ranging from $75 to $250, and serious incidents can result in up to 6 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

Preventive Measures and Safe Driving Tips
Texting and driving can't coexist safely. To prevent distracted driving:

  • Prepare your phone, navigation, and vehicle settings before driving.
  • Pull over to safely use your phone for calls, texts, or emails.
  • Consider turning off your phone or placing it out of reach while driving.
  • Passengers should assist the driver with phone-related tasks and encourage safe driving habits.

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What Employers Can Do to Help
Distractions, especially cell phone use, are as dangerous as alcohol and speeding, causing fatal and serious injury crashes. The National Safety Council reports that 28% of motor vehicle crashes involve cell phone use, leading to around 1.6 million crashes yearly. These crashes affect businesses by increasing:

  • Insurance and liability premiums
  • Workers' compensation/medical and disability contributions
  • Vehicle or property damage
  • Crash-related legal expenses
  • Lost productivity

To Protect Employees and Reduce Distracted Driving, Employers Should:


  1. Create a Policy: Develop a formal, written policy on mobile device use while driving.
  2. Communicate the Importance: Regularly communicate the policy through emails, newsletters, social media, and training to emphasize its importance.
  3. Lead by Example: Management should model safe driving behavior, showing that no call or email is worth risking safety.

Resources

Distracted Driving Articles

Have you Ever Felt in Danger as a Passenger?

Avoid Distracted Driving to Stay Safe