safety

Distracted and Impaired Driving

AAA is committed to educating everyone about the dangers of substance-impaired driving. Through our research at the AAA Foundation, we are working to raise awareness and collaborate with safety stakeholders to reduce the impact of substance-impaired crashes.

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A woman in the passenger seat checks a cell phone while the woman in the driver’s seat maintains eye contact on the road ahead.

Car crash won't happen to me illustration

crash prevention

Crashes Hit Different Campaign

Every year about 40,000 people are killed in crashes on our nation’s roads. The leading causes? Speeding. Impaired driving. Distractions behind the wheel. Failing to wear a seatbelt. These are not just statistics — they’re preventable tragedies that affect real people: families, friends and neighbors.

That’s why we are launching a powerful new campaign: “Crashes Hit Different.” At its core, it’s a call to action.

This new campaign aims to shine a light on four key causes of crashes, all of which are preventable:

• Speeding, which reduces your time to react and increases the severity of crashes.

• Distractions, which can have irreversible consequences.

• Impairment, which endangers everyone on the road.

• Seatbelts, which are simple, often-ignored life-saving tools.

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driving tips

Distracted Driving is Unsafe Driving

At AAA, driving safety is at the heart of all that we do. We believe distracted driving is unsafe driving. Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of being involved in a crash.¹

One way to prevent driving distractions is to set your smartphone to "Mute" or turn on the "Do Not Disturb" setting. If your phone does not have that feature in the menu, follow these instructions:

For iPhone:

Access settings and tap control center.
Tap customize controls and add "Do not disturb while driving."
Swipe to access the control center.
Tap the car button to turn on "Do not disturb while driving."

For Android:

Open the Play Store.
Download an app that enables "Do not disturb while driving."
Follow app instructions as settings may vary.

Two multi-ethnic teenage girls in a car. The focus is on the 16 year old passenger. Her mixed race African-American and Caucasian friend is in the driver's seat. They are smiling at the camera.

impaired driving

Steer Clear of Alcohol and Drugs When Driving

Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the most significant dangers on our roadways — and driving under the influence of marjuana and medications is becoming more prevalent. Impaired driving not only endangers drivers and their passengers, but also other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Drugs and alcohol negatively alter important brain functions you need for driving safely: judgment, motor skills, memory and reaction time. While reductions in impaired driving have been made over the last few decades, much more can be done to reduce alcohol and drug-related crashes, injuries and deaths.

A visual chart that explains possible distractions while driving

distracted driving

Driving Requires a Concentrated Effort

Anything that diverts your attention away from the primary task of driving is a distraction.

Drivers who find themselves stranded can reach AAA by calling or texting "HELP" to 1-800-AAA-HELP, submitting a request via the web, or using the AAA mobile app.

A man driving while texting on his smartphone.

reducing distractions

Top 5 Tips for Reducing Driving Distractions

Plan your trip in advance and program GPS systems, set mirrors and climate controls, etc., before you begin driving.
Familiarize yourself with features of your vehicle's equipment before you hit the road.
Use message-taking functions and return calls when you are stopped at a safe location.
Whenever possible, ask passengers to help you perform activities that may be distracting.
Secure mobile devices and any objects that may move and distract you while driving.

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Happy young woman inside vehicle driving in sunny day

travel tips

To help you get to your destination safely, AAA urges you to follow these travel tips:

Your safety belt is your vehicle's best safety feature. Buckle up.
Don't drink or use drugs and drive. If you are planning to drink, have a designated driver or ride share service.
Have your vehicle serviced with a pre-trip vehicle inspection. Drivers can find a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility by visiting AAA.com/AAR.
Don't drive distracted. Keep your eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and mind on the task of driving.
Ensure you are well-rested before you get behind the wheel. Take a break every two hours and recruit a passenger to help, if possible. Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as impaired driving.
Obey the speed limit and practice courtesy.

Resources

Distracted Driving

AAA Distracted Driving Brief

Download Fact Sheet

Take the Pledge

AAADrive™

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Impaired Driving

Take the Pledge not to drive impaired

Celebrate responsibly with nonalcoholic drink recipes from The Great Pretenders Party Guide

Impaired Driving Brief

Tow To Go Program