SAN DIEGO — April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and local law enforcement is bringing attention to this major issue, not just in San Diego, but across the nation. The Auto Club is reminding drivers about the consequences of distraction behind the wheel.
On Wednesday, AAA held a press conference with a man from Southern California who was nearly killed by a distracted driver. Jim Jones was walking near his former Napa Valley home in 2013 when a 19-year-old man, who admitted to using his phone to talk with his girlfriend, hit Jones and caused him to go airborne, land on his head, be dragged at least 30 feet, and suffer a traumatic brain injury.
Jones' family was told he would not survive. However, Jones did pull through and was determined to recover so he could walk his daughter down the wedding aisle in four months.
AAA released some shocking facts about distracted driving. They include:
- According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTSA), fatalities in distracted driving crashes increased by 12% from 3,154 in 2020 to 3,522 in 2021
- That's an average of nine lives lost each day, although experts believe the numbers are much higher.
- The California Highway Patrol has responded to nearly 28,000 crashes since the start of 2021 that involved inattention behind the wheel. Those crashes resulted in 185 deaths and 19,883 serious injuries in California alone
- A new AAA survey found 81% of drivers across the U.S. are aware of Driving Focus features on their phones but 54% have never used them.
The Auto Club encourages drivers to put phones down while driving or use Driving Focus features which limit calls and texts when vehicle is moving.
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