(Toledo News Now) - The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to keep their eyes and focus on the roadway while driving. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, last year in the U.S. 3,331 people were killed and 387,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver.
Sending or receiving a text message takes a driver's eyes off the road for an average 4.6 seconds, which is the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field at 55 mph.
"Every time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road - even for just a few seconds - they put their lives and the lives of others in danger," said Lt. Brent Meredith, commander of the Findlay Post. "Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and in a split second, its consequences can be devastating."
Distracted driving is considered any non-driving activity a person engages in that has potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving, as well as increasing the risk of crashing.
Distractions can be
-Visual, by taking eyes off the road,
-Manual, by taking hands off the wheel,
-Cognitive, by taking the mind off driving.
Texting while driving is an example that encompasses all three types of distractions.
