Avoid Distracted Driving

During the holidays, more motorists will be on the roads traveling to visit family and friends, making it even more important for drivers to pay attention when they get behind the wheel.
Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Highway Patrol officials are urging motorists to put distractions away and focus on driving to help reduce or eliminate fatalities associated with distracted driving.
Distracted driving takes many forms, such as texting, eating, changing a radio station, talking, and watching something other than the road. Those activities should be avoided when driving. Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller pointed out that texting and driving are by far the most dangerous because it combines three types of distracted driving – manual, visual and cognitive.
Distracted driving fatal crashes have fluctuated during the past five years in Wyoming. There were 9 distracted driving fatalities in 2017, 10 in 2016, 10 in 2015, eight in 2014 and six in 2013.
Not only has distracted driving claimed lives in Wyoming, but it’s also a problem nationwide. According to statistics from the National Health and Transportation Safety Association, about 3,450 lives were lost in 2016 because of distracted driving.