PHOENIX — April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and UPS has some advice for how Valley motorists can avoid getting hit by a distracted driver.
In 2019, distracted driving killed 3,142 people – a 10% increase from 2018, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Mike Woolston has over 40 years of driving experience and is a Circle of Honor member, meaning he's accumulated at least 25 years of driving habits.
Woolston has five tips for how to stay safe on Arizona's roadways:
1. "Aim high in steering, basically centers your vehicle in traffic and it gives you plenty of time to react, you want to be aware of what's going on several blocks ahead."
2. "Getting the big picture you want to be looking side to side on the road and also ahead…be aware of signage and billboards you want to stay away from."
3. "Make sure you have proper space cushions between yourself and the cars in front of you.
4. "We also have to keep your eyes moving which is essential, especially at intersections, you do not want to be staring blindly ahead. You want to be able to be aware and see pedestrians and bicycles and motorcycles anything that’s moving."
5. "...And the last one is make sure they see you and you can use your horns and lights and all that.”
UPS is always looking for driving and interested applicants can find more information on the UPS website.
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Deaths on Arizona roadways:
Data from the Arizona Department of Transportation shows that roadway fatalities have been gradually rising in Arizona over the last decade:
2011: 825 deaths
2012: 821 deaths
2013: 844 deaths
2014: 774 deaths
2015: 895 deaths
2016: 952 deaths
2017: 1,000 deaths
2018: 1,010 deaths
2019: 982 deaths
2020: 1,057 deaths