HOUSTON – The message is simple, don't tech and drive.
Houston leads the nation as the most distracted and deadliest city behind the wheel.
Memorial Hermann and AAA Texas are coming together to help drive change for Houston.
There's multiple distractions, that are in a vehicle, and it's not just the phone," said Sarah Beth Abbott with the Red Duke Trauma Institute at Memorial Hermann.
Drivers can go online and visit www.memorialhermann.org/drivingchange and take the driving change pledge to earn 750 bonus points in the SAFE 2 SAVE app.
The SAFE 2 SAVE is a mobile app that rewards drivers for not using their cellphones while driving.
As a leader in trauma care and home to the Red Duke Trauma Institute at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, one of the nation's busiest Level I trauma centers, Memorial Hermann Health System is working with SAFE 2 SAVE to tackle the life-threatening epidemic.
The latest TXDOT statistics show that basically one in five crashes is because of distracted driving, and those are the crashes that are reported as distracted driving, it is a very under-reported problem," said Josh Zuber with AAA Texas.
Tips To Avoid Distracted Driving
• Put it away. Place your mobile device out of sight to prevent temptation.
• Know where you're going. If using a navigation system, program the destination before driving.
• Pull over. If you have to call or text while on the road, pull off the road safely and stop first.
• Ask passengers for help. If riding with someone, seek their help to navigate, make a call or send a message.
• Be a good passenger. Speak out if the driver of your vehicle is distracted.
• Don't be a distraction. Avoid calling or texting others when you know they are driving.
• Everyone should prevent being "intexticated." Just as drivers need to pay attention, so do pedestrians and bicyclists. Never call, text or play games while walking or cycling.
AAA Texas is hosting a Walk to End Distracted Driving in Houston on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 at Minute Maid Park from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. For more information, click here.
This article is sponsored by Memorial Hermann.