Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that potentially unsafe mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after drivers use voice-based technology to dial, change music or send a text message. AAA is urging drivers to put down their phone and avoid distractions when behind the wheel, especially now during April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Additional research shows drivers talking on a cell phone are up to four times as likely to crash while those who text are up to eight times as likely to be involved in a crash. But 49 percent of drivers report recently talking on a hand-held phone while driving and nearly 35 percent have sent a text or email.
More than 3,400 people are killed in distracted driving crashes each year. AAA is reminding drivers that any task that requires taking your eyes or attention off the road and hands off the wheel can present a dangerous risk on the roadway.