"For young drivers, the break from school means more time for fun, friends, driving, and unfortunately, driving distractions such as texting, eating and applying makeup," wrote Michael Gratch, the president of the Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society, as part of a letter campaign to Pennsylvania newspapers.
The letter is part of a campaign sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Alliance of Automobile Manufactures designed to raise awareness among teens about the dangers of distracted driving.
Why orthopaedic surgeons?
Gratch notes in his letter that they "put bones and limbs back together after road crashes and trauma," and see too often the devastating damage to young people caused when teen drivers drive while distracted.
Statistics show crashes involving teens are most likely to occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11 percent of drivers ages 15 to 19 who were involved in a fatal crash were reportedly distracted at the time of the crash. In 2010 there were 13,846 crashes in Pennsylvania where distracted driving played a role.
The two organizations are calling their campaign, "Decide to Drive," and includes a "Wreck-Less Checklist" to get teens thinking and taking preventative measures to avoid distractions.
The checklist urges before starting a car :
- set phones aside
- put on sunglasses and other accessories
- fasten seatbelts
- move reading material out of reach
- pre-load CDs or mp3 playlists and adjust radio volume level
- enter an address in the navigation system, or review directions
Refrain from eating, drinking, applying makeup and doing hair while driving.
The campaign is intended to save lives, but key is getting the message to young people.
Share the "wreck-less checklist" with teen drivers.
This summer, "decide to drive" and leave distractions at home.
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