NORWAY — The Police Department is reminding drivers that while speeding and alcohol and drug impairment are major causes of accidents, distracted driving is also an issue.
“Most people do not know that sending or receiving a text message distracts a driver for an estimated five seconds,” the department said in a news release. “The danger is deadly serious. Texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by two times over non-distracted driving. Even hands-free cell phone use is associated with a greater crash risk. It’s not just the talking, it’s the reaching and dialing that proves hazardous. A report from the National Safety Council found that people talking on cell phones or sending text messages cause more than one out of every four traffic accidents.”
The department said that texting combines three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive. “In other words, texting involves taking your eyes off the road, your hands off the wheel and your mind off the task of driving.”
The department, which has installed a speed trailer near Aubuchon Hardware, added, “The messages on our speed trailer might be seem funny, but their intent is deadly serious — we want to keep you safe on our roads!”
