Local Teens Learn about Distracted Driving

Motor vehicle fatalities are on the rise. According to the National Safety Council, more than 40 thousand people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2016, up 6% from the year before, which saw a 7.2 percent rise in traffic deaths in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In at least 16% of those fatal crashes, the NHTSA identifies distracted driving as a factor. In crashes involving teens, distraction was a factor in nearly six out of 10 moderate-to-severe crashes, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
One local business, The Keefe Insurance Agency, Inc. is helping teen drivers prepare to battle distraction on the road. It helped bring the Distractology tour to the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin the first week in April. Developed and funded by the Arbella Insurance Foundation, Distractology was one of the first programs in the country to address distracted driving with young, inexperienced drivers. The campaign features a 36-foot-long mobile classroom outfitted with two high-tech driving simulators designed to give new drivers the chance to experience the perils of distracted driving, including texting while driving. Drivers who have completed Distractology are proven to be 19% less likely to have an accident and 25% less likely to get traffic violations. 
“While public awareness of distracted driving has increased in recent years, the number of distractions drivers must navigate behind the wheel are greater than ever before,” said John Donohue, chairman, president and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group and chairman of the Arbella Insurance Foundation. “Young, inexperienced drivers are especially prone to partake in this dangerous behavior, which is why we’re committed to giving students a firsthand look at the devastating consequences of driving while distracted, whether it be changing the radio station or texting a friend.” 
Four out of ten teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cellphone in a way that put people in danger. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind. 
To date, more than 12,000 new drivers, meaning those that have been licensed less than three years or have a learner’s permit, have completed the Distractology training. During the driving simulations, teens and other new drivers face a number of updated scenarios based on real-world examples, related to smartphones, the radio, and food and drink, in residential and highway conditions. Distractology also features striking new graphics inside and out of drivers whose heads have morphed into the distractions that consume them. The images illustrate the way distractions, like phones, food and drink, and the radio, can take full control of drivers’ minds, diverting their attention from the road. The images reflect the new tagline: “Don’t let distractions take over.” Ninety-six percent of students who participated in the program would recommend it to their friends – a strong indication of the impact Distractology is having on local drivers. 
“When it comes to educating teens about the dangers of distracted driving, hands-on scenarios and accompanying education have the greatest impact. The Distractology program incorporates just that and is proven to decrease accident rates by almost twenty percent for participating drivers,” said Bob Keras of Keefe Insurance Agency. “We’re proud to bring Distractology to Franklin and make our roads safer one driver at a time.” 
“We are pleased to have the Distractology program come to Tri-County in order to educate our students on the impact of distractions while driving which can be detrimental to themselves and others,” said Superintendent Stephen Dockray. “Engaging students in real-life scenarios will teach them to be alert and better-equipped to handle dangerous situations and behaviors which will be safer for our community.” 
The Distractology curriculum and simulator are based on Arbella Insurance Foundation-funded research conducted by the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst). Distractology, will travel to various communities in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island during the 2016-2017 school year, offering 45 minutes of simulated distracted driving to each participant. Fully funded by the Arbella Insurance Foundation, Distractology is free to eligible drivers. 
To learn more about distracted driving, visit https://www.aaafoundation.org/distracted-driving.