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The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to share the message about the dangers and consequences of texting and distracted driving.
This annual campaign is part of a national distracted driving high-visibility enforcement effort. The safety program is partnering with law enforcement agencies statewide throughout April to remind drivers that using your cell phone while driving is not only dangerous; it is illegal in West Virginia.
The effort began April 1 but will kick into high gear with Connect to Disconnect (C2D), a
4-hour national distracted driving enforcement and awareness initiative coordinated by state Highway Safety Offices and law enforcement agencies across the country. This initiative will take place April 8, with multiple agencies conducting high-visibility enforcement in the same timeframe.
The goals of C2D and the high-visibility enforcement period are to demonstrate a nationwide commitment to enforcing cell phone and texting bans and to reduce traffic crashes caused by distracted drivers, ultimately preventing injuries and deaths associated with cell phone use and texting while driving.
“As they say, plain talk is easily understood, so I’m going to be blunt: Driving while looking at your cell phone is as dangerous as driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs,” said Bob Tipton, GHSP director. “Did you know that when you send or read a text message, you take your eyes off the road for approximately five seconds? Traveling at 55 miles per hour, that’s like driving the length of a football field blindfolded. No text or call is worth killing yourself or someone else.”
According to the safety administration, between 2012 and 2019, 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. While fatalities from motor vehicle crashes decreased slightly from 2018, distraction-related fatalities increased by 10%. NHTSA also reported the number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide or almost 9% of all fatalities in 2019. This represents a 10% increase over the year 2018 or 284 more fatalities. The distraction figure was the largest increase in causes of traffic deaths reported for 2019.
Violating West Virginia’s distracted driving laws can be costly. The fine for the first offense of using a cell phone while driving in West Virginia is $100 plus court costs. The second offense carries a fine of $200 and court costs. The consequences of a third offense and subsequent offenses are a $300 fine and court costs plus demerit points being applied to the driver’s license record.
The GHSP and NHTSA urge drivers to put their phones away when behind the wheel. If you need to text, pull over and do not drive while doing so. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving.
For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit www.dmv.wv.gov/ghsp or call 304-926-2509.
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