• Event starts at 8 A.M. in Diamond Parking Lot in Minute Maid Park
On Sunday, September 29, AAA Texas will hold its first-ever Walk to End Distracted Driving. In recognition of the event, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed September 29 ‘Texas Walk to End Distracted Driving Day.’ The proclamation will be read by a representative from the Houston Police Department at 8:45 a.m. during the opening ceremonies which will kick off the walk. Along with the walk, press conference and proclamation, there will also be a family-friendly traffic safety expo with many community teammates offering activities and goodies to those in attendance. Free breakfast, t-shirts and hats will be provided for the first 500 people who attend.
Distracted Driving Facts
In 2018, distracted driving reportedly killed 403 people and seriously injured 2,362 in the Lone Star State with the total number of crashes attributed to distracted driving is 96,259 statewide, according to TxDOT. On a national-level, distracted driving kills an average of nine people and injures 1,000 each day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is the third leading driver-related cause of crash fatalities behind speeding and driving under the influence. And these numbers likely underestimate the problem because most drivers do not admit to distracting cell phone use after a crash. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has conducted numerous studies regarding distracted driving that demonstrate:
Drivers interacting with cell phones to perform tasks like texting or surfing the Internet are two to eight times more likely to be involved in a crash.
Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of being involved in a crash.
59 percent of all teen crashes involve some form of driver inattention, and 12 percent of teen crashes involve cell phone use.
Plus, research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that even though 97 percent of drivers say texting/emailing while driving is a serious or very serious threat to their safety, 45 percent admit to having read a text or email while driving in the past month, and 35 percent admit to having typed one. Therefore, AAA’s sobering message ‘Don’t Drive Intoxicated, Don’t Drive Intexticated’ makes it clear that the consequences of both alcohol-impaired driving and texting while driving are the same – deaths and injuries.
Campaign messages of ‘Don’t Drive Intoxicated, Don’t Drive Intexticated’ have, and will continue to, appear as public service announcements, on social media, at special events, in the AAA member magazine, and in AAA branches. The messages will also be incorporated into continuing AAA traffic safety programs offered in local communities.
About AAA:
AAA provides more than 60 million members with automotive, travel, insurance and financial services through its federation of 34 motor clubs and nearly 1,100 branch offices across North America. Since 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for safe mobility. Drivers can request roadside assistance, identify nearby gas prices, locate discounts, book a hotel or map a route via the AAA Mobile app. AAA Texas branch offices throughout the state can be found by visiting www.AAA.com. Follow AAA Texas on Twitter: @AAATexas and Facebook: www.facebook.com/AAATexas. Find additional news from AAA Texas in our online newsroom at http://tx-aaa.iprsoftware.com/.
