April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month, and AAA Western and Central New York encourages drivers to learn how to use Driving Focus features on smartphones, which are designed to prevent incoming calls and texts while a vehicle is in motion. It’s technology that can save lives!

Driving 55 miles per hour, taking your eyes off the road for five seconds, is like traveling the length of a football field blindfolded. 

According to NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 3,211 fatal crashes in 2021 in which at least one driver was reported by the police as distracted (8.1% of all fatal crashes). These crashes resulted in the deaths of 3,522 people (8.2% of all people killed in crashes). NHTSA reports that 3,142 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in 2020, which is an average of nine lives lost each day. Distracted driving deaths increased by more than 11% from 2020 to 2021, although experts believe the numbers are actually much higher due to the causes of these types of crashes being vastly underreported. 

According to state-level data from NHTSA, 110 people were killed in crashes in New York involving police-reported driver distraction in 2021.

Among people who died in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver, 40% of the deaths were the distracted drivers themselves, 16% were their passengers, 26% were people in other vehicles, and 18% were people outside of vehicles (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.), according to NHTSA.

Driving Focus smartphone apps are designed to limit phone use behind the wheel. These apps use sensors and proximity to known network connections to detect driving. They generally work when the vehicles are in motion and can silence the phone, redirect incoming calls to voicemails, or respond to text messages with a preprogrammed message. However, users must opt-in to activate the apps. The primary reasons drivers say they won’t use Driving Focus are:

•    Able to ignore my smartphone while driving
•    Use Bluetooth if I need to answer a call
•    Don’t think to turn it on
•    Need to be reachable in case of an emergency (kids, family, work, etc.)

However, the latest Driving Focus (iPhones) and Drive Focus (Android) features on smartphones do address many drivers’ concerns. These newer features will:

•    Automatically enable when connected to the vehicle’s Bluetooth
•    Allow repeat calls to be received (in emergencies)
•    Set contact exemption rules allowing calls/texts from select contacts in your phonebook
•    Allow all messages/calls but only allow interaction via Bluetooth

To stay focused behind the wheel and prevent driving “intexticated,” AAA recommends that drivers:

1. Use the Driving Focus features on your smartphone.
2. Pull over if you have to call or text someone.
3. Speak up if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
4. Put it away. Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
5. Know where you’re going. If using GPS, program the destination before driving.
6. Ask passengers for help. If with someone, ask for help to navigate, make a call or text.
7. Don’t be a distraction. Avoid calling or texting others when you know they are driving.