Distracted driving can be deadly, that has been established. But still, getting drivers to pay attention to the road and not their phones can be a challenge.
The Utah Department of Transportation’s latest message to drivers, displayed on roadside billboards — “Get your head out of your apps” — has been getting people talking.
It’s the latest message in a series that kicked off Memorial Day weekend to get people to put down their phones while driving. Past posts read “That seatbelt looks good on you”, and “Turn signals, the original instant message”.
WATCH: It’s been 5 years, have distracted driving laws worked?
“We take a lighthearted approach, but make no mistake, this is a serious issue,” department spokesman John Gleason told NBC News.
“People are dying on our roads, and we want to do something to get people’s attention.”
A handful of people have expressed distaste with the latest message; a take on a common, less refined saying. But the department’s only concern is keeping roadways safe.
“If you’re trying to make an impact, there may be a few people that don’t agree,” said Gleason. “We’re OK with that because the overall goal here is to get people talking.”
Distracted driving is a problem that has grown with the advent of the omnipresent smartphone, and lawmakers in Canada have worked to tackle the deadly issue. Distracted driving has surpassed impaired driving as the No. 1 cause of road fatalities in Ontario;, and in BC it is the second-leading cause of car crash deaths in the province.
While drivers face harsh penalties in many parts of Canada for distracted driving behaviours such as using their phones, poll results released in June found that seven in 10 Canadian drivers admit to driving distracted.
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