Park Your Phone: A message from ODOT and the Beaverton Police department
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) “a distraction occurs when a driver diverts attention to something not related to driving that uses the driver’s eyes, ears or hands.”
There are four classifications of driver distractions:
- Visual – looking at something other than the road, such as a cell phone.
- Auditory – hearing something not related to driving, such as a passenger.
- Manual – manipulating something other than the wheel, such as vehicle controls.
- Cognitive – thinking about something other than driving, such as work deadlines.
Most distractions involve more than one of these types, with both a sensory – eyes, ears, or touch – and a mental component. Using a cell phone while driving usually involves all four classifications of distraction.
Using a cell phone while driving can be deadly, the same result can occur with many other distractions like: moving objects around in your vehicle, adjusting vehicle controls or the radio, eating or drinking, diverting your attention off the road to other occupants of the vehicle, diverting your attention off the road to people or events occurring outside your vehicle, or just being inattentive or daydreaming.
What can you do to help stop distracted driving?
- Park your phone. Put you phone somewhere in your car you can’t access it while you are driving. No text or call is worth it.
- Use cell phone applications or imbedded software to block text messages and phone calls while the vehicle is in motion.
- Avoid calling or texting your loved ones during their commute times. Don’t be the reason your loved one caused a crash.
- Be a role model for your children and teach them the dangers of distracted driving.
The Beaverton Police Department will be doing enhanced patrols targeting distracted driving throughout the year. These enhanced patrols will be funded by an ODOT grant.
Remember, You Text You Pay.
Please continue doing your part in making our community a safe place to live and work.
