October 20, 2022, is the first-ever national Do Not Disturb While Driving Day. This day is to highlight the continuing danger of using a cell phone while driving, and to educate the public on how technology can help stop distractions. AAA is partnering with the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB’s) National Distracted Driving Coalition (NDDC) to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving.

You have a choice! Show you care about the lives of your friends, family members, and even strangers. The NDDC urges you to choose to stay safe by turning on the do not disturb function on your phone today and telling others to do the same.

The majority of motorists consider phone use behind the wheel to be a serious threat to their safety, yet drivers continue to take risks despite startling statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the NTSB.

• More than 3,100 people are killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers each year, as reported by police in recent years.
• Of those killed in crashes reported as involving a distracted driver, 18.7% (587) were between the ages of 25-35.
• In 2020, there were 480 pedestrians, 83 cyclists, and 14 other non-occupants killed in crashes involving a driver who was reportedly distracted. It is unknown how many of these pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-occupants were also distracted at the time.
• In a nationally representative survey, 37% of respondents reported talking on a handheld cellphone while driving in the past 30 days, while 34% reported reading texts or emails, and 23% reported typing texts or emails while driving (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2021).
• During the daytime, 481,000 drivers use a cell phone behind the wheel
• Most crashes occur during the workday or the daily commute

In New York, the latest numbers from NHTSA show that the state had 115 fatal crashes involving a distracted driver in 2020.

“Drunk driving now has a stigma attached to it – that’s why AAA is reminding drivers, ‘don’t drive intoxicated, don’t drive intexticated.’ With more than 3,100 people killed in distracted driving crashes each year, it is time for drivers to be accountable. If we all make the effort to put the phone away when driving, we can save lives,” said Anthony B. Spada, President & CEO, AAA Western and Central New York.

AAA encourages all motorists to eliminate distracted driving by activating the Do Not Disturb feature on their phones, which will prevent calls from coming in while driving.

For more information visit AAA.com/dontdrivedistracted.