LA CROSSE, Wis. - April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says driver electronic device use is slightly decreasing, many bad habits of driving distracted are still a safety concern.
Wisconsin State Trooper Chang Yang said distracted driving is a major cause of vehicular accidents. And it's mainly drivers using electronic devices; eating and drinking; talking with passengers; or riding with pets that can cause drivers to take their focus off the road.
Trooper Chang Yang, Wisconsin State Patrol
"If you're driving at 55 miles per hour and you look away from driving for five seconds," Trooper Chang said. "That's like driving the length of a football field blinded."
Trooper Yang added that drivers need to concentrate on driving, suggesting the best thing to do is to put personal phones away and wait until the vehicle reaches its destination to use those devices.
