AURORA | The Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Department of Transportation are hoping to raise awareness about the leading cause of serious car accidents in the state: distracted driving.
“When we think of distractions behind the wheel we often focus on cell phones, but there are so many other things that can cause us to take our attention off of the task at hand which is driving,” Colonel James Wolfinbarger, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said in a statement Sunday.
The organizations are taking part in National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, using a webinar, media campaign and other efforts to try to encourage drivers to pay more attention when they are behind the wheel.
According to CSP, distracted driving is not only the leading cause of injury accidents in Colorado, nationwide, distracted drivers killed almost 5,500 people in 2009.
“Driving a vehicle is one of the most important and dangerous things we do, and it deserves our complete attention, both physically and cognitively,” Pamela Hutton, the governor’s representative for highway safety at the Colorado Department of Transportation, said in the statement. “Two seconds of distraction can turn to disaster, so please put down your phone, eat at a table — not at your steering wheel, and focus on the road.”
For the CSP release, click below.
National Distracted Driver Awareness Month
There are 4,000 to 8,000 distracted driving crashes in the United States every day!
DENVER – In an effort to support National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) are teaming up to raise awareness about the issue of distracted driving. For the last two years distracted driving has been the leading cause of injury crashes investigated by the Colorado State Patrol. In 2009, distracted drivers killed nearly 5,500 people across the nation.
“When we think of distractions behind the wheel we often focus on cell phones, but there are so many other things that can cause us to take our attention off of the task at hand which is driving,” said Colonel James Wolfinbarger, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Regardless of what may distract a driver, we are simply asking motorist to be aware of the dangers of becoming distracted not out of fear of receiving a ticket, but out of concern for you, your passengers and others who share our roads.”
Here are some ways the Colorado State Patrol will be addressing the issue of distracted driving throughout the month of April:
· Partnering with media across the state to heighten awareness through interviews and ride-along opportunities with troopers.
· Use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to relate statistics, pictures, stories, video links and more.
· Hosting a “Distracted Driving” webinar - April 20th. Open to the public, this educational opportunity will be the first in a series such events hosted throughout the rest of the year.
“Driving a vehicle is one of the most important and dangerous things we do, and it deserves our complete attention, both physically and cognitively,” said Pamela Hutton, governor’s representative for highway safety at the Colorado Department of Transportation. “Two seconds of distraction can turn to disaster, so please put down your phone, eat at a table -- not at your steering wheel, and focus on the road.”
Related links and resources:
· Colorado State Patrol (CSP) – http://www.csp.state.co.us
· Colorado Department Of Transportation (CDOT) – http://www.coloradodot.info
· National Safety Council - http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/distracted_driving.aspx
· National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - http://www.distraction.gov/
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