WHP: Don’t Get Distracted 

Distracted driving continues to be a major safety concern on the Cowboy State’s roadways, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol. 

The agency defines distracted driving as any activity that takes a driver’s attention away from the task of driving. Distractions generally fall into three categories: visual distractions that take a driver’s eyes off the road, manual distractions that take hands off the wheel, and cognitive distractions that take the driver’s mind away from driving. Activities such as texting, talking on the phone, eating, adjusting navigation systems, or interacting with passengers can all create dangerous distractions behind the wheel.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Lieutenant Louis Tegdesch made an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse and said distracted driving is all too common. Often drivers only realize how dangerous distracted driving can be once they hit the rumble strips and overcorrect causing accidents.

Lt. L. Tegdesch

The consequences of distracted driving can be severe. Federal traffic safety data shows that 3,275 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers in 2023 across the United States. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people are injured each year in distraction-related crashes, demonstrating the widespread impact this behavior can have on drivers, passengers, and others sharing the road. Safety officials note that texting while driving is particularly dangerous because it involves all three types of distraction at once.

The Lieutenant emphasized that distracted driving is preventable. Drivers are encouraged to silence or put away phones, set navigation systems before beginning a trip, and pull over in a safe location if they need to send a message or make a call.