Distracted driving is becoming a "dangerous epidemic" in Louisiana that will only get better when drivers modify their behaviors, the state's top highway safety official said.

April has been designated as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is using the occasion to remind drivers to keep their eyes and their  attention on the road.

 

"We all see it every day, people looking at their phones instead

of the traffic in front of them, and it is a very real cause for concern," said Dr. Katara Williams, LHSC Executive Director. "Distracted driving kills thousands of people every year across this country, and Louisiana is not immune from this epidemic."

 

In 2014, 3,179 people died on our nation's highways because of vehicle crashes caused by a distracted driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In Louisiana, 192 people were killed from 2011-2015 because of some distraction either inside or outside the vehicle, and another 26,977 people were injured.

 

"I'm asking everyone in Louisiana to examine their own behavior to make sure they are contributing to the solution and not to the problem," Dr. Williams said. "Set a good example for your children and friends by putting away your cell phone while you're driving."