April Is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

WARREN COUNTY, OH -- In recognition of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to always keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel and their mind on the task.

“National Distracted Driving Awareness Month is a great time for all drivers to commit to eliminating distractions and keeping their full attention on the road," said Governor Mike DeWine. "Driving distracted is just as dangerous as driving drunk, and I encourage all drivers to make responsible choices for their own safety and the safety of others."

Under Ohio’s distracted driving law, enforcement officers have probable cause to pull motorists over if they witness them illegally using a cell phone or other electronic devices. While emergency calls are permitted in all circumstances, the use of an electronic device to call, text or search while driving is not allowed.

From cell phones to innovative car dashboards, everything around us competes for our attention and takes our mind off the task of driving. There are three types of distracted driving that can put our lives or the lives of others at risk when traveling on the roadway. Those include:

• Manual – Anything that takes one or both hands off the wheel, such as adjusting settings in the car or reaching for something.
• Visual – Anything that causes a driver to take their eyes off the road, such as looking for their phone, reading billboards or looking at the scenery.
• Cognitive – Anything that takes your mind off the road, such as speaking to a passenger, talking on the phone or losing focus.

“While breaking down the different types of distracted driving helps us understand how easy it is to lose focus when driving, our enforcement data reveals the devastating reality of these choices,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “The following statistics represent more than just numbers; they reflect preventable tragedies on our roadways.”

According to Patrol statistics, a total of 48,266 crashes involving one or more distracted drivers occurred in Ohio from 2021-2025. Of those, 158 were fatal crashes that resulted in 170 deaths. During that same timeframe, 25,124 people were injured in distracted driving crashes.

Additional crash information is available on the Patrol’s Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS) Crash Dashboard.

The public is encouraged to safely call #677 to report reckless or impaired drivers and drug activity.

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