As April marks National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is intensifying efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Under the slogan “Buckle Up, Phone Down,” Spokesperson Greg Fisher says the campaign aims to curb distractions while driving on the roadway.
“We want everyone to focus on the road. And you can’t do that when you’re checking your Facebook or your text messages on your phone.”
Louisiana’s current law prohibits writing, sending, or reading text messages on a hand-held device while driving an extends through an active school zone.
However, Fischer says distractions aren’t limited to just mobile devices. Activities such as eating, drinking, using a GPS, and even conversing with passengers can divert a driver’s attention. Fischer suggests…
“If you can do it before you leave the house, set up where you need to go. We got a lot of parents with children but we got to let them know that the most important thing for driver, is to drive.”
In 2022, distracted drivers in Louisiana were involved in 2,098 crashes that hurt or killed someone, according to data from the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU.
Fisher says 31 percent of all drivers in Louisiana engage in some sort of distracted driving. And the “phone down” commitment is something everyone should pledge to do…
“What we would love for everyone to remember, is this slogan “Buckle Up, Phone Down.”
