NEWFANE — During the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes on our nation's roads.
The Windham County Highway Safety Task Force says it is encouraging drivers to put down the phone and remember this new slogan: “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.”
In support of April's National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Windham County Highway Safety Task Force will partner with the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a national, high-visibility enforcement effort.
The goal of the campaign, according to a news release, is “to step up enforcement efforts to catch distracted drivers and enforce distracted-driving laws.”
According to the NHTSA, nearly 20,000 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2012 and 2017.
In 2017 alone, 3,166 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. While this represents a 9 percent decrease in distracted driving fatalities compared with 2016, the Task Force says there is much more work to be done, especially among younger drivers.
According to the NHTSA, young drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers since 2007, and 8 percent of people killed in teen (15-19) driving crashes in 2017 died when those teen drivers were distracted at the times of the crashes.
“It seems that every day, you can look out of your car's window and see a driver using their cell phone,” says Windham County Sheriff's Department Deputy First Class Michael Roj. “People know texting and driving is dangerous and illegal, but they do it anyway, and it puts others at risk.”
Beginning April 11, motorists will see increased law enforcement efforts around Windham County, as officers will be stopping and ticketing anyone who is caught texting and driving.
Violating Vermont's distracted-driving laws can be costly. Penalties can range from $162 up to $507, depending on circumstances, and up to five points on one's license.
The Windham County Highway Safety Task Force and NHTSA urge motorists to put their phone down when they get behind the wheel. They also say that if you're driving, follow these tips:
• If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
• Designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.
• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving. Struggling to not text and drive? Put the cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of the vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
“We all have cell phones, and we're all on them all the time,” said Windham County Sheriff's Department Captain Mark Anderson. “But when you drive, you have one responsibility: Drive safely and responsibly.
“The bottom line is this: If your attention is anywhere other than on the road, you're driving distracted, and you're driving dangerous. Save yourself the embarrassment and expense of getting pulled over. Plus, you just may save someone's life.”