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Advice to drivers: Get your head out of your app

Distracted drivers are a danger not only to themselves, but to everyone else on the road. The Michigan State Police is reminding motorists to Get Your Head Out of Your App and focus solely on driving when behind the wheel.

The public awareness campaign uses the phrase Get Your Head Out of Your App to emphasize the importance of keeping your attention on the road while driving. Information is being shared on Facebook and Twitter using #JustDrive and #DistractedDriving.

Distracted driving is any activity, including using a cellphone, eating or changing radio stations, that diverts attention away from the primary task of driving. The number of people killed in distracted driving crashes in Michigan doubled from 2014 to 2015. During 2015, there were 28 fatalities involving distracted driving.

Tips to help decrease distracted driving:

– Secure items that may move around when the car is in motion. Don’t reach down or behind the seat to pick up items.

– Ask a passenger to help with activities that may be distracting.

– If driving long distances, schedule regular stops, every 100 miles or two hours.

A recent survey conducted for the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) shows nearly one in five young adult drivers consider themselves addicted to their cell phone. More than 40 percent admitted to regularly sending texts and emails while driving.

Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous distractions because it involves taking your eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the task of driving. As of July 1, 2010, Michigan law prohibits texting while driving. For a first offense, motorists are fined $100. Subsequent offenses cost $200.

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