JACKSON, Wyo. — April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Jackson Hole Fire/EMS is observing the month with some reminders for keeping one’s eyes on the road.
In a social media post, Fire/EMS defined distracted driving as any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. Three main types of distractions can endanger drivers: visual (taking one’s eyes off of the road), manual (taking hands off of the wheel) and cognitive (taking the mind off the task of driving).
The post noted that many potential distractions will vie for a driver’s attention, including cell phones, food and beverages, GPS devices and chatty passengers. These distractions can create hazardous driving conditions, particularly when additional hazards are present on the road, including construction work and migrating wildlife.
“The animals are migrating and all over the highways,” the agency posted. “Let’s buckle up, put down the phones and keep our community and wildlife safe.”
Last week, a bison was struck and killed by a driver in Grand Teton National Park. Wildlife-vehicle collisions are not infrequent in and around Jackson, unfortunately.
