AAA pushes safety tips for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- April is National Distracted Driving Awareness month and AAA is encouraging drivers to stay focused.

Public and Government Affairs Manager for AAA Bluegrass Lori Weaver Hawkins says with summer coming soon, more people will be traveling for vacations and get-aways. As part of their nation wide distracted driving prevention efforts, the organization is sharing some tips to help keep drivers and passengers safe..

Those tips include putting the phone away when behind the wheel, planning out your route before leaving, and to not be a distraction if riding in the car. Hawkins suggests making sure all children and pets are restrained securely in the car.

AAA says in Kentucky, 120 deadly crashes in 2021 are blamed on distracted driving- a 32% increase from the previous year.

“The really sad thing is this is all preventable. People think about impaired driving, that’s preventable. So is distracted driving. There are so many distractions out there. You need to be aware of those,” says Hawkins.

AAA also says its important to pull over safely before making a phone call or sending a text. She also says to ask passengers to help navigate to your destination.