AAA tackles problem
of distracted driving
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

Hang up and drive.

That’s the message of a gas-station campaign to warn motorists about the dangers of not paying attention at the wheel, particularly because of cell-phone use.

Watauga County is one of five targeted for education on the dangers of “distracted driving,” based on its perennial rank near the top of annual crash statistics.

AAA Carolinas has launched an ad campaign, complete with graphic logo (see above right) at more than 50 North Carolina gas stations.

Driving while distracted can affect a driver’s perception, judgment and action, said Tom Crosby, president of the Carolina Motor Club Foundation for Traffic Safety.

“Using a cell phone while driving is very dangerous, as many motorists know from personal experience or from watching drivers using cell phones in nearby cars,” Crosby said.

“Talking or texting on a cell phone distracts a driver, taking his attention off the road and putting him in danger of a crash.”

Watauga County remains among one of the places in North Carolina where motorists are likely to be involved in a collision and also ranks high in the amount of vehicle property damage.

An annual study based on 2006 traffic data placed Watauga County in the top five in both categories among the 100 counties. However, it remains a relatively safe place to drive when measured in crash fatalities and injuries.

The average local motorist will drive 12,487 miles before being involved in a crash.

Watauga County had 1,467 reported crashes on state-maintained roads in 2006 involving 2,346 vehicles.

Those crashes led to four fatalities and 380 injuries, ranking it 23 out of 100 counties.

Distracted driving became an issue earlier this year when the county commissioners enacted a six-month moratorium on new interchangeable-face message signs or digital billboards. AAA extended the campaign to cover other distractions, such as cell phones, radios, text messages or other media.

Eight out of 10 drivers rated distracted driving as a serious problem, but 53 percent of them admitted they had talked on their cell phone while driving in the past 30 days, and 14 percent admitted they had read or sent a text message in the past 30 days, according to the 2008 AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index.

The study also showed that more people observed others engaging in the behavior than they reported for themselves.

The ad campaign is expected to be viewed several million times. The tips advise motorists to use a cell phone in a vehicle only when absolutely necessary and not take hands from the steering wheel to make a call.

Drivers should never send a text message.

According to a 2001 study by the University of North Carolina, an estimated 284,000 distracted drivers are involved in serious crashes each year.