CLARKSVILLE, TN – Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden and City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts signed a joint proclamation designating April as Distracted Driver Awareness Month at the request of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Safety Task Force.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the proclamation states there were 477 distracted driving crashes in 2022 and 10,446 crashes in Clarksville, Montgomery County, between 2011 to 2022. Talking on a mobile phone, even in hands-free mode, texting, and programming a dashboard infotainment system or GPS device diverts attention away from driving and results in physical or cognitive distraction.

Cell phones are the leading cause of distracted driving, creating enormous potential for deaths and injuries on U.S. roads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nine people in the United States are killed every day in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver.

On average, whenever people look down at their phones, they travel the distance of an entire football field. According to the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, distracted driving is driving while engaged in activities that divert the driver’s attention from the road. There are three forms of driving: cognitive, visual, and manual. Texting and driving is extremely dangerous because it involves all three forms of distracted driving. From a financial standpoint, motor vehicle crashes in Tennessee create an economic toll of $450 million annually.

Data gathered by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security from February 2022 to January 2023 showed that a crash that involved a distracted driver occurred nearly every 25 minutes and 16 seconds. In 2019, the state of Tennessee established a law banning the use of handheld devices while driving. This law, known as the Hands-free law, prevents drivers from holding a cell phone or any other electronic device that can distract drivers.

“We lose too many people on our roads due to distracted driving. Focusing on the road and those around us is something that we can all improve on. One accident involving distracted driving is one too many, and far too many families have suffered a loss due to actions that can be controlled,” said Mayor Golden.

“Distracted driving results in accidents with other vehicles and pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and road workers. Not long after taking office, a man drove his truck through a work area on Riverside Drive, killing a valued member of our team who was out there just doing his job. To tell a family they had lost their loved one like that is tragic,” lamented Mayor Pitts.

Each week in April, Montgomery County Government and the City of Clarksville shares interviews on their social media pages with local and state law enforcement, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS), giving their views and experience with increasing driver safety and behavior incidents in the community.

“Our Traffic Safety Task Force appreciates the support from our County and City mayors to make our roads safer. We can improve by changing habits, like leaving earlier and practicing patience. These are simple practices our law enforcement friends preach repeatedly. We people to heed their advice for the safety of everyone on the roads,” said Montgomery County Driver Safety Administrator Lisa McClain.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Traffic Safety Task Force is made up of representatives from the Clarksville Police Department (CPD), Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), and Clarksville, Montgomery County (CMCSS) and Montgomery County Driver Safety Administrator Lisa McClain.