Captain Sean Malanowski Commanding Officer Los Angeles Police Department Foothill Division

Don’t become a statistic. Distracted Driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. These distractions not only endanger the driver but they also create hazardous conditions for passengers and bystanders. Texting, using a cell phone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading, using a navigation system, watching a video, and adjusting a radio or MP3 player, are just some of the common distractions that divert the attention of drivers. Don’t become a statistic! Pay attention to the road while operating your motor vehicle and arrive at your destination safely. ONE TEXT OR CALL COULD WRECK IT ALL.

Key Facts and Statistics:

• Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind.
• The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver; this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.
• 11% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes, were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.
• For drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes, 21 percent of the distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cell phones
• At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.
• Engaging in visual-manual subtask, (such as reaching for a phone, dialing and texting), associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices, increased the risk of getting into a crash by three times.
• A quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive. 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended multi-message text conversations while driving.
This information was provided courtesy of Distraction.gov). Please visit www.distraction.gov