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'U drive, U text, U pay' program begins in Washington County

Washington County has partnered with government agencies for the national “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign— an effort to stop distracted driving.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — Washington County has announced that it will participate alongside law enforcement agencies across the country in partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the national “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign, which is a high visibility effort to stop distracted driving. 

The campaign will run Monday, April 3 - 10. NHTSA reports that nearly 32,483 people died in distraction-affected crashes between 2011 and 2020. 

Their reports say that in 2020, there were 3,142 deaths linked to driver distraction, or 8% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities— an increase of 23 fatalities compared to 2019. 

According to NHTSA research from 2017, young drivers 16 - 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers since 2007. In 2020, 7% of drivers 15 to 20 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. 

While anything that takes your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving is a hazard, there is heightened concern about the risks of texting while driving because it combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual, and cognitive.

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