Editorials

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Glance at phone messages while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle? Even worse, try to respond?

That's not just illegal in Michigan -- it can prove deadly.

Law enforcement agencies in the state and across the country will try to make the dangers of such behavior clear in support of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April.

This annual campaign is part of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning's "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." high-visibility enforcement effort.

The goal of this initiative is to reduce traffic crashes caused by distracted drivers, ultimately preventing injuries and deaths associated with cell phone use and texting while driving.

According to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts, michigantrafficcrashfacts.org, Michigan had 16,543 motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver during 2021, with 59 resulting in a fatality.

Research shows Millennials and Generation Z are the most distracted drivers, often using their cell phones to talk, text, and scroll through social media while behind the wheel, according to a news release from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. Only 6.7% of Michigan drivers are under the age of 21, but that same group accounted for 18.1% of the distracted-driving crashes in 2021.

Through April, law enforcement will be stepping up enforcement by stopping and ticketing anyone who is caught texting while driving.

Violating Michigan's Texting While Driving Law can be costly -- $100 ticket for the first offense, $200 ticket for each subsequent offense.

Texting while driving is dangerous and illegal. For more information, go to www.Michigan.gov/DistractedDriving.

Distracting activities include --

-- Texting or messaging;

-- Checking social media;

-- Talking on the phone, even hands-free;

-- Watching videos;

-- Eating, drinking or smoking;

-- Grooming;

-- Looking after children or pets;

-- Chatting with passengers;

-- Searching or reaching for an item;

-- Looking at crashes or roadside sights;

-- Checking a navigation system;

-- Reading anything, including maps;

-- Adjusting climate or music controls;

-- Listening to loud music.

Ways to avoid being distracted, as recommended by Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning --

-- Use your phone's Do Not Disturb feature or an app to silence calls and texts;

-- Put the phone in the glove box or elsewhere to curb the urge to look at it;

-- Avoid eating, drinking and smoking while driving;

-- Never attempt to read while driving, including a map;

-- Do not do any personal grooming or adjust clothing while driving;

-- Avoid a lot of interaction with passengers;

-- Emotions can interfere with driving, so do not drive when angry or upset;

-- Keep music at a reasonable level and avoid using headphones or earbuds;

-- Pull over to a safe location and park your vehicle if you need to make or take a call;

-- Do not drive with a pet in the lap;

-- Ask a passenger to help navigate, change the music or monitor your texts;

-- Pull over to a safe place to address situations involving children;

-- Do not daydream when behind the wheel.