ADOT launches distracted driving awareness campaign

PHOENIX — One would think not much would scare a bullfighter or a snake handler, but something that does is distracted driving, this according to a new campaign from the Arizona Department of Transportation aimed at making roadways safer.

ADOT in a press release Thursday announced the launch of a new campaign, “Distracted Drivers Terrify Me,” in honor of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month in October.

The organization has posted three 30-second videos so far to their website highlighting the dangerous careers of a bullfighter, snake handler and high-flying lineman, with each ending the video saying distracted drivers terrify them.

“Distracted driving is terrifying,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said in the release. “Seeing a driver in the car next to you, looking down at their phone while driving and behaving like a drunk driver – swerving and driving too slow or too fast – no one wants to encounter that driver and it has to stop.”

The goal of the campaign is to change driver behavior with fewer people engaging in distractions while on the road, adding 100% of distracted crashes are preventable.

Just under 10,500 people died in distracted driving crashes in 2019, according to ADOT’s Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report.

The number of distracted driving deaths in 2019 did fall nearly 12% from 2018, however.

This could be attributed to a law signed by Gov. Doug Ducey in April 2019 that prohibits the use of a cellphone while driving unless it’s hands-free.

The campaign will be broadcast on TV and radio stations, as well as online, social media and in-car streaming audio.

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