Distracted Driving
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.
Distracted driving is a growing and deadly threat. Too many drivers are ignoring their responsibilities behind the wheel. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 3500 people were killed and an estimated 391,000 injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.
There Are Three Main Types Of Distraction
- Visual: taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: taking your mind off what you're doing
Distracted Driving Can Be Any of the Following
- Texting
- Changing the Radio/selecting music
- Waving to other people on the road
- Passengers in your vehicle
- Talking on a cell phone - even if its hands free
- Eating while driving
- Entering an address in your GPS
- Grooming
But, because text messaging requires visual, manual and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found in analyzing 2009-2012 data, that even while more than 8 in 10 drivers believed it completely unacceptable for a motorist to text or e-mail behind the wheel, more than a third of those same respondents admitted to reading text messages while driving.
In 46 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, texting while driving is an illegal, ticketable offense.
Distracted Driving Laws
- Text messaging is prohibited for all drivers.
- This law carries a $100 fine.
- For more detailed information, view the North Dakota Century Code 39-08-23 and 39-08-24
- Drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using any electronic communications devices, including cell phones.
- 14 and 15 year olds: This law carries a $20 fine and 4 points on your driver record.
- For more detailed information, view the North Dakota Century Code 39-06-17(4)(c)
- 16 and 17 year olds: This law carries a $20 fine and no points on your driver record.
- For more detailed information, view the North Dakota Century Code 39-08-24.
- Effective August 1, 2017, the law was expanded to include distracted driving to mean any distraction that impairs the ability to safely operate the vehicle.
- If you're distracted while driving and commit a traffic violation, the driver (any age) can be given a $100 citation for distracted driving. This new expanded part of the law is effective August 1, 2017.
- For more detailed information, view the North Dakota Century Code 39-08-25
Speak up. If your friends or family text while driving, tell them to stop. Listen to your passengers; if they catch you texting while driving, and tell you to put your phone away, put it down.
Let’s work together to put a stop to distracted driving, and let’s start with YOU and YOUR influence.