Michigan State Police say drivers distracted by mobile phones cause
40-percent of serious accidents. And teenage drivers are four times more likely to crash than adults.
A group based in Kalamazoo is trying to convince drivers to keep their eyes off their phones and on the road. Fathers Against Distracted Driving was started in 2013. FADD President Marv Berkowitz says texting while driving is often deadly:
"If you text four words driving at 55 miles an hour, you've had your eye off the road the equivalent of a football field," Berkowitz said.
Berkowitz says distracted driving is especially a problem with teen drivers who have four times as many serious crashes as adults. He admits that fighting the urge to fiddle with electronics behind the wheel is an "uphill battle":
"We have all kinds of incentives to do that that are provided by the vehicle manufacturers, by the manufacturers of the smartphones. And so, there is a great impetus to do this," said Berkowitz.
Berkowitz says the group is setting up "Safe Summer Driving" sessions with drivers of all ages.