BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — As April marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month, officials are reminding drivers that even a momentary lapse in attention behind the wheel can have serious consequences.
“All it takes is that one second for a tragedy to happen,” said Officer Jorge Toro, public information officer with CHP Bakersfield.
According to the National Road Safety Foundation, distracted driving continues to be a widespread issue nationwide.
“In a recent survey, about 75% of drivers admitted to being on their phone, either texting or talking on their phone while driving,” said David Reich, Director of Public Relations with the National Road Safety Foundation.
Reich says distraction goes beyond just cell phone use.
“Distraction can be tuning the radio, adjusting your GPS picking up something to drink or something to eat while you’re driving. Anything that takes your eyes off the road or your mind off the task of driving is a distraction,” he said.
The organization estimates distraction may play a role in up to 25 to 30 percent of fatal crashes, though Reich notes it is often underreported.
Locally, CHP officers say they are seeing the issue firsthand.
“Simply holding the phone in your hand is a violation you don’t have to be talking to anybody, you don’t have to be texting,” Toro said.
He added that distracted driving includes a wide range of behaviors.
“Many people when they think about distracted driving, they think of only the phone, but it’s other things like eating, drinking in the car, other passengers—that’s huge,” Toro said.
Officials say even a few seconds of distraction can make a difference.
“If you’re going 55 to 60 miles per hour, you’ve pretty much covered the length of a football field,” Toro said. “Think about all the things that can go wrong just by looking down at your phone for three seconds.”
Reich echoed that concern, explaining how quickly a situation can escalate.
“When you’re at highway speed, three or four or five seconds means you have traveled the distance of a football field just imagine driving that distance with your eyes closed,” he said.
CHP Bakersfield recently conducted a 24-hour enforcement operation focused on distracted driving, issuing more than 300 citations.
“Of those, 143 were for distracted driving,” Toro said.
CHP Bakersfield issued over 600 citations and arrested one person during the Statewide Maximum Enforcement Period earlier this week, focusing on distracted driving. PHOTO: CHP Bakersfield
Nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 3,000 people were killed in distraction-related crashes in 2024, with hundreds of thousands more injured.
Reich says certain groups—especially teens—are at higher risk.
“Teens are less experienced behind the wheel and their brains are not fully developed till we’re somewhere between 19 and 21 or 22 years old,” he said. “That makes it more dangerous.”
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He added that passengers can also play a role.
“A very big distraction is other people in the car—especially for young people,” Reich said.
Despite widespread awareness, many drivers continue to engage in risky behavior.
“People think they can multitask but the reality is it’s not so easy to multitask, especially when the main task at hand is driving safely,” Reich said.
Both experts emphasize that many of these crashes are preventable with simple steps.
“Plan ahead set your GPS do all that stuff before you actually start moving,” Reich said. “Put the phone away you have to be disciplined.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 23: Heavy afternoon traffic moves along the I-5 on November 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts nearly 55 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, 98 percent of pre-pandemic volumes. AAA also projects that nearly 49 million are expected to travel by vehicle this week, while around 4.5 million will fly to their Thanksgiving destinations. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Toro also stressed that enforcement is ongoing year-round.
“If we see you on your phone or driving distracted and endangering the lives of the public, then you’re going to get a ticket it’s 365 days a year, 24 hours,” he said.
Officials say the message is simple: stay focused behind the wheel.