“U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” campaign

ROSEBURG, OR – The Roseburg Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the national “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” high-visibility enforcement effort this year.

From Thursday, April 7, through Monday, April 11, law enforcement officers from across the country will work together to enforce texting and distracted driving laws to make our roads safer for all users. Texting and other use of a handheld electronic device while driving is dangerous and illegal.

Distracted driving has become a leading cause of vehicle crashes on our nation’s roads, and much of this distraction is attributed to texting while driving. People know texting and driving is dangerous and often illegal, but they selfishly give themselves a personal exemption to do it anyway, and this behavior unfairly puts others at risk, according to the highway safety administration.

NHTSA reports that, between 2012 and 2019, 26,004 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. While fatalities from motor vehicle crashes decreased slightly from 2018, distraction-related fatalities increased by 10%. NHTSA also reported that, in 2019, the number of deaths linked to driver distraction was 3,142 nationwide, or almost 9% of all fatalities. That represents a 10% increase over 2018, or 284 more fatalities. Distraction-related accidents were the largest increase in causes of traffic deaths reported for 2019.

Millennials and Generation Z are the most distracted drivers, often using their cell phones to talk, text and scroll through social media while behind the wheel of a vehicle. According to NHTSA research from 2017, young drivers 16 to 24 years old have been observed using handheld electronic devices while driving at higher rates than older drivers have since 2007. In 2019, 9% of people killed in teen-caused driving crashes died when the teen drivers aged 15 to 19 were distracted at the time of the crash.

Violating Oregon’s distracted-driving laws can be costly. In Oregon, your first conviction for operating a motor vehicle while using a mobile electronic device (ORS 811.507) is a Class B traffic violation. The second conviction within a 10-year period is a Class A traffic violation and the person’s third conviction within 10-years preceding the date of the current conviction is a Class B Misdemeanor.

Many drivers are guilty of a “double standard” when it comes to distracted driving. In its 2018 Traffic Safety Culture Index, the AAA Foundation reported while nearly 96% of drivers believed it was very or extremely dangerous to read a text or email while driving, four out of 10 drivers admitted to doing so within the previous 30 days.

Drive Safe Every Trip

The Roseburg Police Department and NHTSA urge drivers to put their phones away when behind the wheel. If you need to text, pull over and do not drive. If you are the driver, follow these steps for a safe driving experience:

• If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.

• Ask a passenger to be your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.

• Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.

• Cell phone use is habit-forming. Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or put your phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.

Texting while driving is dangerous and illegal. Break the cycle. Remember: U Drive. U Text. U Pay.

For more information, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/distracted-driving.