State creates 17 mile 'distracted driving' corridor on I-76 and I-80
People traveling along a 17 mile stretch of Interstates 80 and 76 from Milton to Hubbard Townships can expect state troopers to be watching for signs of distracted driving.
AUSTINTOWN TWP., Ohio - People traveling along a 17 mile stretch of Interstates 80 and 76 from Milton to Hubbard Townships can expect state troopers to be watching for signs of distracted driving.
Officials from the Ohio Departments of Public Safety and Transportation held a news conference in Austintown on Tuesday to announce what they are saying is the state's first distracted driving safety corridor.
The corridor runs from I-76 just east of State Route 534 to I-80 just east of State Route 193.
ODOT says it will place signs along one of Ohio's busiest stretches of highway notifying drivers that it is a high enforcement area.
Some sections of the highway see more than 51,000 cars and trucks per day.
Officials say signs will also be placed throughout the corridor with reminders of the dangers of distracted driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ten people die in distracted driving crashes each day.
Plans for the corridor come as the AAA East Central launches a new, multi-year initiative that aims to reduce deaths and injuries as a result of cell phone use by drivers.
"Don't Drive Intoxicated - Don't Drive Intexticated" is the theme of AAA's traffic safety education campaign created to make distracted driving socially unacceptable.
The campaign targets drivers who would never consider drinking a beer behind the wheel, and yet, regularly engage with mobile devices that dangerously take their eyes, hands, and minds off the road.
"The safety of our roads has always and will continue to be a priority for AAA and its members," said Theresa Podguski, AAA East Central Director of Legislative Affairs. "This campaign is necessary, now more than ever, to help combat the growing problem of distracted driving and its deadly results."
