Driving can be a dangerous activity. There are things that can make driving even more hazardous than it usually is. Some examples of things that can make the roadways more dangerous are poor weather conditions or when drivers engage in distracted driving. While poor weather conditions cannot be prevented, things such as distracted driving can be avoided. Although most people know that engaging in distracted driving activities, such as using their cellphone are dangerous, some continue to do so. To help combat the problem of texting while driving, AAA has begun a new called “Don’t Drive Intoxicated – Don’t Drive Intexicated.”

AAA has started this campaign in April, as April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. AAA hopes that this campaign will help to bring more awareness to the problem of distracted driving and encourage drivers to put their phones away while driving. AAA plans to continue this campaign for multiple years. One of the goals of it is to make texting while driving as socially unacceptable as driving while under the influence.

Using a cellphone while driving is incredibly dangerous as it diverts the driver’s attention from the roadway. When a driver’s attention is not on the roadway they can miss critical events, objects in the roadway and potential loss of control of the vehicle. All of these things put the driver at greater risk of being involved in a car accident. Through data collected by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, one of every ten fatal car accidents involves distracted driving and 18 percent of accidents that cause injury involve distracted driving. Texting while driving and other cellphone usage while on the roadways put both the driver and others on the roadway at a greater risk of being involved in accident. Using your cellphone while driving is not worth the risk of putting yourself or others at risk.