Buckle up, phone down: Distracted driving awareness emphasis in April

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and state officials along with AAA East Central are partnering to drive home a life-saving message for all motorists: Buckle up, phone down.

“Driving distracted puts your life, and the lives of everyone around you, at risk,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “We want every Kentuckian and every visitor traveling through our Commonwealth to make it home safely. Let's all do the right thing when we're behind the wheel. Put the phone down and focus on the road. It’s a simple choice that saves lives.” 

As part of this month's awareness effort, KSP will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) high-visibility enforcement campaign, “Put the Phone Away or Pay,” which runs April 7-13. This nationwide initiative is designed to reduce distracted driving through increased enforcement and public awareness.

“One moment of distraction can lead to a lifetime of regret. No text is worth losing a family member or harming another person,” said KSP Sgt. Matt Sudduth. “While troopers enforce laws to prevent distracted driving, it’s not about writing citations; it’s about ensuring everyone makes it home safely.” 

Over the past decade, distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes on our nation’s roads. According to KSP’s collision data, in 2024, there were 5,648 crashes, 27 of which were fatal, related to distracted drivers, including those with cellphones.

“When we lose a life on a Kentucky roadway due to distracted driving, especially one that could have been prevented, it’s a tragic day for the Commonwealth,” Transportation Secretary Jim Gray stated. “Distracted driving is avoidable, and we must do everything we can to keep people safer on our highways.”  

According to the NHTSA, while anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel or mind off the task of driving is a hazard, texting and using a phone while driving is especially risky, because it combines all three types of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive. 

“Distracted driving is a choice, and it’s one that can have deadly consequences. Every time you get behind the wheel, your full attention is required to keep yourself and others safe,” said Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Executive Director Bill Bell. “We are committed to spreading the message that no text or phone call is worth a life. Stay focused and stay safe.”