When: Media availability 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, April 5
(Live shot availability starting at 4 a.m., upon request)
Where: AAA Texas Austin North Branch
13376 N. Highway 183 Suite 108
Austin, TX 78750
Who: AAA Texas Corporate Communications Manager Doug Shupe
AAA Texas Senior Public Affairs Specialist Daniel Armbruster
Cambridge Mobile Telematics Road Safety Spokesperson Hayley Curtis
Why: Just days away from the long-awaited solar eclipse crossing Texas, AAA Texas and Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s largest telematics service provider, will remind the public about the deadly consequences of inattention behind the wheel. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2021 there were 3,522 people killed in traffic crashes involving a distracted driver, that is an average of ten people killed each day. That same year an estimated 362,415 people were injured in distracted driving crashes. Here in Texas alone in 2022 (latest data available), 484 people died (up 11% from 2021) and 2,825 were seriously injured (up 16% from 2021) in distracted driving crashes. According to CMT research, distraction leads to significantly higher speeds and a reduction in reaction time before a crash. In fact, one in three crashes happen within one minute of distracted driving. The most distracted drivers are 240% more likely to crash. The combination of increased smartphone distractions, spectators wanting to witness the eclipse, and up to several minutes of darkness during it, is a recipe for significantly elevated risk levels on the roads. AAA Texas and CMT hope to remind the public about ways to stay safe during this rare event.
Visuals: Crashed car from distracted driving
Chair display representing ten lives lost each day to distracted driving
B-roll of distracted drivers in Texas
B-roll of texting while driving crashes
Contact: AAA’s Doug Shupe, (512) 659-1632 or Daniel Armbruster, (512) 564-3141
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