In the past, the most notorious cause of traffic accidents is drunk driving. Concerned agencies though took steps to combat the problem. For the past 20 years, it seems that the awareness of the public to the hazards of drunk driving has expanded. As a result, the number of drunk-driving related traffic accidents has significantly decreased in the last couple of decades. Sadly though, the number of fatalities in traffic accidents continues to rise. This time around, the culprit is distracted and aggressive driving.
In response to the yet increasing number of traffic accidents, the American Beverage Institute (ABI) is promoting traffic safety via an ad campaign which is aimed to educate the motoring public of the hazards of distracted and aggressive driving. The institute has been one of the leading sectors in the community to address the problem of drunk driving. And since a new problem has surfaced, the institute sees it fit to address the problem as they have done with the drunk-driving problem years ago.
Some of the facts that ABI is trying to get through to the public includes many everyday routine activities but when done behind the wheel is dangerous not only to the driver but also for other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists around him or her. The institute cited that “distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. Alcohol-related accidents among teens have dropped, but because distracted driving is on the rise, teenage traffic fatalities remain unchanged.”
In a survey conducted by the institute, they found out that more than 90 percent of teen drivers in America said they will not drive while drunk and some 90 percent of the respondents also said that “they’ve seen drivers distracted by passengers on using cell phones”.
The institute also warns the public that a sleepy driver or those going ten mils per hour faster than the cars around them are a more serious threat to traffic safety than those who are legally intoxicated. Furthermore, the institute found out that more than 80 percent of motorists said that they are guilty of performing dangerous behavior while driving. These acts deemed hazardous to traffic safety are: reading, changing clothes, steering with feet, painting nails, and shaving. The institute is also warning the motoring public that drivers distracted by their cell phones while driving is more impaired than those drivers with a 0.8 blood alcohol content level.
It goes without saying that even ordinary routines are dangerous if performed at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Aside from ad campaign son newspapers, the institute also runs careless driving public service announcements on television stations and billboards across America. While non-drunk drivers can easily operate a Toyota door handle better than those drunk-drivers, they still run the risk of running into a traffic accident if they allow themselves to get distracted.
By: Katie Jones