The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced that signs warning motorists not to text while driving are being installed this week along I-95 and State Route 1. Strategically placed near the rest areas, they encourage drivers to wait until they get to the rest stop before reading or responding to a text message.
"Delaware law prohibits drivers from using their cell phones to talk or text while driving," Transportation Secretary Jennifer Cohan explained, in a release. "Sadly, not everyone has gotten the message that 'It Can Wait.' Throughout the country 'It Can Wait' campaigns such as these share a simple message: Keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone. I am pleased to see that campaigns have evolved as smartphone driving distractions have grown beyond texting to include social media, web surfing, video chatting, and more."
Distracted driving is involved in more than 200,000 vehicle crashes each year, often involving injuries and death. Despite knowing the risks seven in ten drivers engage in smartphone activity while driving, and four in ten teens admit to social networking while driving. Nationally, driver distraction contributes to more than 5,000 traffic fatalities each year.
To address the growing dangers of distracted driving, the "It Can Wait" campaign will serve as a kick-off for an expanded "Towards Zero Deaths" outreach currently in development with the Safety Division of DelDOT, AAA Mid-Atlantic, and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.
