Page 12 - LIN April 2023 Web File. reduce

distracted driving

tracted driving
dis

is killing us
is killing us

by Michelle Avola-Brown, Executive Director,
Naples Pathways Coalition
wish the title were an exaggeration. radio station, personal grooming, disciplining kids, or
I sharing the front seat with unruly pets. Did you know
According to a FocusDriven®
eating and drinking rank just as highly in terms of
Nationwide Insurance study, up
to 80 percent of all crashes involve some dangerous activities behind the wheel as texting?
form of driver distraction. The United States Drive-Safely.net lists coffee as the most hazardous food or beverage
Department of Transportation notes that to consume while driving, and we don’t even have to drink it.
cell phones are involved in 1.6 million auto A pothole can send our coffee flying, and if it doesn’t burn us, it
crashes each year, and these crashes cause at makes a mess of our clothes and vehicle, which we have a hard time
least half a million injuries and take 6,000 lives. A Virginia Tech ignoring.
Transportation Institute study reported texting while driving is April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. To mark the
up to six times more likely to cause an auto crash than drinking occasion, Naples Pathways Coalition is launching a multi-agency
and driving. effort with the help of different branches of local government,
Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic, and we all community organizations, health organizations, and advertising
need to take action to stop it. agencies urging people to stop distracted driving, biking, and
Although we frequently hear and see “don’t text and drive” walking. We are asking every member of our community to join us
messaging, this behavior is increasing. Even though texting in this vital campaign.
while driving is now a primary offense, meaning you can be Taking our eyes off the road can lead to a fender bender or a fatal
ticketed solely for texting with no other noted infraction, drivers rollover crash. And what if we hit a pedestrian or cyclist? Without
don’t seem to care. the safeguard of seat belts, airbags, or four-thousand pounds of
A car or SUV can range from 3,000 to 8,000 pounds. It’s steel around them, vulnerable road users like this have absolutely no
been demonstrated that taking our eyes off the road for only five protection. Veering out of our lane for just a few seconds can end
seconds (the average amount of time it takes to read or send a the life of someone’s son or daughter, mom or dad. Is sending a text,
short text) while driving at 55 mph is equivalent to driving the checking Instagram, or looking up a phone number while driving
length of a football field with our eyes closed. And still, people worth killing someone?
do this every day. Our convenience, boredom, or habit of multi-tasking is never
What will it take to get everyone to put down their phones worth the risk of taking a life. When we’re behind the wheel, our
and drive? one job is driving. Speak up if you’re in the car with someone who’s
Texting is one of many distractions with our phones. Drivers distracted. Pledge to put away distractions when you drive, bike, or
report checking social media, surfing the web, typing addresses walk. It truly is a matter of life and death.
into navigation apps, playing games, and even taking selfies or We look forward to state and federal funding coming to Collier County
videos while they drive! Whether using a hands-free device or in the coming years. Collier residents and visitors must frequently ask our
not, merely talking on the phone shifts our focus from the road County Commissioners to diligently promote the construction of the Paradise
more than talking to a passenger. How many of us have missed Coast Trail and support its funding. For their contact information,
a turn or an exit because we were talking on the phone? visit https://bit.ly/CollierBCC.
But distracted driving is about more than just electronic To further our efforts to fast-track the Paradise Coast Trail, we are
diversions. Anything we do behind the wheel besides focusing fundraising and looking for champions who also see the importance of this
on the road undermines safe driving, including changing the trail. For more information and to partner with us, please visit
www.NaplesPathways.org or contact Michelle@NaplesPathways.org.

12 Life in Naples | April 2023