Beware of the dangers of distracted driving
Apr 14, 2021, 1:11 PM | Updated: Apr 15, 2021, 8:46 am
Did you know it only takes three seconds to drive the length of a football field? Imagine looking down at your phone for that long!
KIRO Radio’s Tracy Taylor wants you to be aware of the dangers of driving during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and all year long.
According to the National Highway Safety Administration, over 3,000 people died as a result of distracted driving in 2019. That’s a 10% increase from 2018. And on a typical day, more than 700 people are injured in distracted driving incidents.
In 2017, Washington state passed a driving under the influence of electronics act. It might sound silly, but Kelly Just with AAA told Tracy that their studies show it takes about 27 seconds for your brain to refocus attention after you put down your phone or finish with your voice to text system.
If you can travel the length of Lumen Field in three seconds, imagine how far you’ve traveled in the 30 seconds it takes to glance at your phone and then refocus your attention.
Tracy reminds drivers that you’re breaking the law even if you’re stopped at a light when you grab your phone.
You can hear Tracy Taylor several times an hour every afternoon during the Tom and Curley Show on KIRO Radio. Be sure to follow Tracy on Twitter.
