Stress the message on distracted driving

A recent Daily Herald editorial addresses the dangers inherent in distracted driving. Distracted driving is impaired driving — as is driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The editorial “toughen up distracted driving laws” is correct in that we must approach distracted driving in the same manner.

The National Safety Council estimates at least 28 percent of all traffic crashes involve texting or talking on cellphones. As an emergency physician and father, the issue of distracted driving has been a key component of my professional and parenting practice. I have seen countless preventable teenage driving tragedies in the Emergency Department.

The problem is multi-factorial involving drug and alcohol impairment, aggressive driving behaviors and distracted driving. Recent studies have demonstrated that distracted driving (texting, cell conversations) is as dangerous as driving intoxicated. A recent study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute concluded that people who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash (or what they call a near-crash event) than non-distracted drivers.

A new state wide campaign is aimed at raising the awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. I urge all drivers (and parents of new drivers) to visit www.Illinoistollway.com to learn about the “Drive Now. Text Later. You Can’t Do Both” program. It will save lives.

We must adopt a no tolerance attitude regarding this issue of impaired and distracted driving — we must view and confront the issue as a national epidemic. It is time to “toughen up our distracted driving laws” — I applaud the Daily Herald for keeping the issue in the public’s eye. Our society cannot continue to accept that 6,000 of our teens die driving each year nationally with tens of thousands more being severely injured. Remember drive now, Text later — you can’t do both!

Dr. Charles Nozicka

Advocate Condell Medical Center

Libertyville