Distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes with over 3,000 deaths in the U.S. alone, according to statistics through 2024.
The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office led by Prosecutor John P. McDonald and Chief of Detectives Francisco Roman, Jr. recognized Thursday, Oct. 16 as National Do Not Disturb While Driving Day.
The purpose is to draw attention to a lifesaving feature that is integrated into every smartphone. Do Not Disturb While Driving (DNDWD) cellular phone settings block calls, texts, and other notifications while you are driving, allowing your attention to remain where it is required to be, on the road, according to a press release through the prosecutor’s office.
It is the goal of the National Distracted Driving Coalition (NDDC) to encourage all drivers to turn on their DNDWD feature and to teach others to do the same.
“As a driver, show that you care about the lives of friends, family and strangers,” McDonald and Roman, Jr. said. “Support the NDDC, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and the Somerset/Hunterdon County Traffic Safety Alliance, in their efforts to educate road users and make everyone’s drives and commutes safer.
While distraction causing activities can take many forms, it is those activities that impair drivers visually, manually, and cognitively. Activities drivers should avoid and refrain from include, but are not limited to, using a handheld/hand free cell phone to text, call or email and/or eating, drinking, and grooming. It can be anything that causes the hands to be off the wheel, the eyes off the road and/or the mind off the task of driving that is hazardous and increases the risk of serious crashes.
The prosecutor’s office is urging the public to turn on their DNDWD feature, urge friends, family, and co-workers to do the same.
“Try to make this a habit every day,” they said. “Let’s all do our part to make the roads safer and help everyone arrive at their destination safe and alive.”