EUGENE, Ore. — As part of its efforts to prevent distracted driving and enhance road safety, the Eugene Police Department Traffic Safety Unit reminds drivers to prioritize safe road practices and avoid distractions while driving with this clear message: Don’t Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward.
Distracted driving, which involves cellphone use or any activity that takes attention away from the task of driving, is risky driving behavior that endangers everyone on the road, from the distracted driver and other drivers to passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists, Eugene PD says.
“According to NHTSA, 15,960 people died and around 1.8 million people were injured in distraction-affected crashes over the five-year period from 2018 to 2022. In 2022 alone, there were 3,308 people killed in traffic crashes involving at least one distracted driver, 8% of all traffic fatalities that year. An estimated additional 289,310 people were injured in traffic crashes involving distracted drivers in 2022,” the department states…