The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) announced it will launch its new “Be Alert and Arrive Alive” campaign during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month (April) to focus Delawareans on the dangers of distracted driving.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving cause 3,142 fatalities on U.S. roads in 2019, 10 percent more than in 2018. The OHS said distracted driving is as dangerous, if not more so than drunk driving. NHTSA studies indicate that texting while driving is six times more likely to cause a crash than drinking and driving.
The office said that while the campaign aims to motivate all drivers to be safer, the campaign specifically targets males between 16 and 24 in both urban and rural areas of the state. Recent data found that 37 percent of drivers in distracted driving crashes were between the ages of 20 and 29 and that 63 percent of those drivers were male.
“By driving distracted, you’re losing valuable seconds that you may need to avoid a close call or deadly crash,” said Kimberly Chesser, Director, Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “Unfortunately, many people don’t consider distracted driving anywhere near as dangerous as drinking and driving. But OHS wants to correct this misconception to drive home the point of this campaign and help people realize just how serious distracted driving is. The number of distractions is growing all the time, and the consequences of both impaired driving and smartphone use behind the wheel can result in deaths and serious injuries.”
The campaign will run at the same time as two special enforcement periods (April 2-22 and July 15-Aug. 19) being implemented by state and local law enforcement. OHS will also collaborate with businesses like cellphone providers, mechanics, and gas stations/convenience stores, as well as with community partners, to deliver the distracted driving message. The strategy will use digital advertising, paid and organic social media, public relations, grassroots outreach, and the creation of communication toolkits for partnering businesses and organizations. The department said it also hopes to be at public events during the summer if pandemic guidelines permit.
“Now more than ever, we are faced every day with choices. Some are simple, some more complex. The choices you make when you get in your vehicle should be easy. Make a conscious effort to put your phone down and buckle up when you’re ready to drive. By making this choice, you are choosing to protect yourself and those you care about,” Sarah Cattie, Distracted Driving Program Manager, Delaware Office of Highway Safety, said.