Friday, April 22, 2016
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THE GAZETTE, EMPORIA, KANSAS
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STAY SAFE DURING
DISTRACTED DRIVING
AWARENESS MONTH
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Page 3
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ESU UNVEILS DRAFT OF NEW DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION PLAN
By Jessie Wagoner
[email protected]
Special to The Gazette
April is Distracted
Driving Awareness Month
and it’s safe to say distracted driving has become a relevant issue over
the last few years deserving attention and education.
Wi t h d r i ve rs b o t h
young and old on the
streets, staying attentive on the road is more
important than ever. In
2013, there were 3,154
deaths in relation to distracted driving. Distracted driving is not limited
to using a mobile device,
but also includes eating,
drinking, grooming and
talking to passengers.
Smartphone devices, such
as the iPhone 6s and the
Galaxy S7, can be paired
with wireless accessories
to increase safety and
maintain productivity on
the road.
According to a U.S.
Cellular survey, 43 percent of smartphone owners use their device while
driving, and 34 percent of
smartphone users get annoyed at others for doing
so. That same survey also
shows that 74 percent of
those who use their phone
while driving utilize a
hands-free device such as
a Bluetooth headset or incar Bluetooth system.
“Safety is of utmost
importance to U.S. Cellular and we feel confident
wireless technology can
enhance and simplify our
everyday lives, creating
a positive, safe driving
experience,” said Randy
Shurtz, area sales manager for U.S. Cellular in
Kansas. “Whether on-thego or relaxing at home,
safety precautions can be
taken to ensure mobile
devices keep users safely
connected with friends
and family nationwide.”
U.S. Cellular is recommending the following
tips to stay attentive and
safe at the wheel:
Take away distractions:
It is easy to be distracted
by the phone buzzing in
the console. If the noise is
too disruptive, switch to
the Do Not Disturb mode
on the iPhone 6s during
drive time. Friends and
family will understand
the commitment to limit
distractions.
Use accessories: With
accessories such as the
Plantronics Voyager Legend Bluetooth Headset,
carrying on a conversation during a commute is
easy and convenient.
Prepare yourself be forehand: Enter the address into the GPS on a
smartphone before hitting
the road. Make sure to
place your mobile device
in a spot where directional prompting can be heard
to prevent missing a turn.
Enlist the help of passengers if it can’t wait:
Remember, distracted
driving not only affects
personal safety, but also
impacts the safety of others. Passengers can help
if a message or phone call
absolutely can’t wai B