4/1/2015
CORRECTION: Idaho Governor to declare April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month on Thursday
Editor's note: (Resending release with corrected quote from ITD Director Brian Ness)
BOISE - To save lives and educate all Idahoans,
especially young drivers, about the dangers of distracted driving, Gov. C. L.
“Butch” Otter will proclaim April 2015, as Distracted Driving Awareness Month
in Idaho, at a ceremony in the Capitol, Thursday (April 2) at 10 a.m.
Gov. Otter will be joined by representatives from some of
Idaho’s largest public- and private-sector employers, who have implemented
no-phone policies for their employees.
In the past five years, Idaho has lost 245 lives to distracted driving, with an average of 5,000 distracted-driving crashes per year. The economic cost of distracted-driving crashes was nearly $598 million in 2013.
“Safety is a priority for ITD, and we commend our
partners in the public and private sector who have taken steps to eliminate
distracted driving from their workforce, because it makes our roads safer for
all Idahoans,” said ITD Director Brian Ness. “This is the kind of culture
change that shows a true commitment to safety.”
“Any distraction while driving can have deadly consequences, especially when
your eyes and mind are focused on a phone instead of driving,” said Lt. Col.
Ralph Powell of the Idaho State Police. “It takes five seconds to read or send
a text message, and if your car is travelling 55 mph, that’s like traveling the
length of a football field wearing a blindfold. With an average of less than a second to
react to an urgent situation, drivers need to have all their attention on the
roadway.”
Throughout the month of April, Idaho law enforcement agencies and ITD will focus on educating the public about the dangers of driving distracted through media and enforcement efforts. The message to drivers is that, “Distracted driving kills and injures Idahoans every day.”
“Distracted driving is 100 percent preventable,” said Sgt. Matt Pavelek, with the Nampa Police Department. “When we pick up a phone, because the urge to read and answer an incoming message is so strong, we are making a choice to drive distracted.”
A new study by the Traffic Safety Foundation for the American Automobile Association, has revealed that young drivers are involved in six out of 10 more distracted-driving crashes than previously thought.
“Each of us must choose to drive responsibly, by keeping our eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and mind on driving. If you are the parent of a young driver explain that it is illegal to read or send a message on your phone while driving in Idaho,” added Sgt. Pavelek. “We can all lead by example and put the phone away when driving. It’s just not worth risking your life or someone else’s life.”
WHAT: Gov. Otter will sign a proclamation designating April 2015 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Idaho.
WHEN: Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m.
WHERE: Idaho Statehouse, Boise