CDOT Asks Motorists to “Drop the Distraction” This Summer
STATEWIDE — Of the 203,827 motorists involved in a crash on Colorado roadways in 2013, an estimated 24.4 percent of those crashes were attributed to distracted drivers. With this in mind, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is launching its summer Drop The Distraction campaign, aiming to reduce the number of distracted drivers on Colorado roadways. The campaign launch coincides with the Colorado State Patrol’s (CSP) distracted driving enforcement period, occurring from Tuesday, June 2, through Friday, June 5.
CDOT will unveil a unique distracted driving outreach event — The Distraction Games — at CSP’s first ever safety fair on Saturday, June 6 from11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The safety fair, which takes place at the Colorado State Patrol Academy in Golden, focuses on summer safety in a fun environment, and serves as a perfect fit for CDOT’s The Distraction Games — a series of educational and engaging activities that correlate with eye-opening distracted driving statistics. Teenage drivers, or those soon to earn their learner’s permit, are encourag
ed to stop by The Distraction Games to learn about the dangers of distracted driving. Upon completion, they will be offered prizes donated by partners and the opportunity to sign a pledge board, committing to drive distraction-free.
“Distracted driving is a pervasive problem with young drivers so we hope these games serve as a wake up call to the dangers of such behavior,” said Sam Cole, Communications Manager for CDOT. “By reaching teens in a fun and engaging way we hope to instill good driving habits for life. The Distraction Games are an important reminder that cell phones and driving never mix.”
CDOT will continue to bring The Distraction Games to community events and teenage hangout spots throughout July and August. As summer heads into the back to school season, CDOT will launch a paid media campaign designed to target teen drivers, many of which may have recently earned their licenses.
“Between 2008 and 2013, there was a nine percent increase in the number of crashes caused by distracted driving in Colorado,” said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Furthermore, teenage drivers are more likely than any other age group to be involved in fatal distracted driving crashes. We hope to curb that alarming trend by continuing to focus our enforcement efforts on distracted driving as well as impaired driving.”
CDOT’s Drop The Distraction campaign educates motorists about the dangers of distracted driving. Throughout the summer, CDOT will attend community events, as well as develop educational collateral materials for public consumption. For more information about the campaign, including additional facts and the recent AAA Foundation report, visit codot.gov/safety/
