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Okay, I’ll admit, I’m guilty. Guilty of picking up the phone while driving to make a quick call, listen to voicemail, read a text---guilty of driving while distracted by technology.
And (not to justify my actions by any means), I’m far from alone. In fact, safety experts say so many Americans drive while distracted that the problem is now epidemic.
According to a report released by the National Safety Council, more than 25% of all motor vehicle accidents are caused by drivers texting or talking on cell phones. And more than 6,000 people are killed and nearly 500,000 are injured each year by distracted drivers.
In response to these statistics, media mogul Oprah Winfrey designated April 30 “No Phone Zone Day.” Her challenge: to get distracted drivers to put their phones down and for once, just focus on the road.
While there is no real way to measure how many people took part in—or met—Oprah’s challenge, she did succeed in bringing national attention to this problem.
I took Oprah’s challenge, and to make sure I wouldn't be tempted to answer or make a call, I went a step further: I turned my phone off.
Did you meet the challenge?
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