Distracted driving crashes increase according to NDOT

Posted By: Rachael Miner

rminer@klkntv.com

Distracted driving- we’ve all been guilty of it, but new data released by the Nebraska Department of Transportation shows just how devastating the consequences can be.

"As we’ve seen in the past five years the number of distracted driving related crashes have jumped by 29 percent," said Fred Zwonechek the Nebraska Highway Safety Administrator.

If you expand the chart to the past seven years, the number of crashes related to distracted driving jumps to 36%.

The data released by NDOT breaks down the accidents into three categories: injury, property damage only, and fatal.

Overall the number of crashes have increased, with injury accidents going up 22% in the past seven years.

2017 also saw nine more fatal crashes related to distracted driving than 2016.

"We try and remind people that driving demands your full attention. You have one job to do as a driver and that is to drive, " said Zwonechek.

Distracted driving is not limited to texting, it includes anything that takes your eyes off the road– passengers, changing the radio station, even taking a drink of water.

when your full focus is not on the road you’re at a much higher risk for an accident and NDOT wants to remind people the results can be devastating.

"If you’re doing that behavior and not giving driving your full attention you may be one of them in this year or the next year."