5 things you can do to reduce risk of distracted driving

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Apr 29, 2015, 01:00 ET

ITASCA, Ill., April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Car crashes kill 100 people every day in the United States with about nine out of 10 of all crashes caused by driver error, not faulty brakes or environmental factors like rain or snow. One in four car crashes involve cell phone use, as estimated by the National Safety Council. That creates a clear and present danger to public safety because talking while driving takes the brain's attention away from the road.

The mission of the National Safety Council is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

Talking on a handheld or hands-free cell phone is a high-risk activity that has joined the ranks of alcohol and speeding as a leading crash factor – all of which are preventable.

Five simple actions issued by the National Safety Council can help to reduce your risk and keep passengers and others on the road safe:

Avoid using hands-free devices while driving.

Don't use your dashboard Infotainment system for tasks such as hands-free calls. They are unrelated to driving.
Change your voicemail message to tell people that you may be driving and will call them back when you can safely do so.
Set special ring tones for important incoming calls, and pull off to a safe place to take them
Ask a passenger to answer incoming calls and say "You'll call back when not driving"
Share with others this educational motion Infographic [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdySWBayuvg&feature=youtu.be] and video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMxT_L60olw].

Check out nsc.org for more tips and actions you can take to stay safe at work, on the roads, and in homes and communities.

About the National Safety Council

Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council, nsc.org, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact – distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety, prescription drug overdoses and Safe Communities.

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SOURCE National Safety Council