The National Safety Council (NSC) is calling for stronger measures to address distracted driving, a leading cause of preventable roadway deaths, as part of its annual Distracted Driving Awareness Month campaign.
The Council’s 2025 appeal urges drivers, lawmakers and industry leaders to support a “Safe System Approach” that includes policy reform, vehicle technology, infrastructure improvements, and personal responsibility behind the wheel.
“Despite so many tragic crashes caused by this devastating trend, distracted driving remains an overlooked aspect of everyday life for millions of drivers in the U.S.,” said Mark Chung, executive vice president of safety leadership and advocacy at NSC. “Decisive actions from the industry and policymakers are essential to making lasting progress.”
Personal stories highlight the stakes
The NSC emphasized that distractions—including texting, eating, and using in-car infotainment systems—impair driving ability and increase crash risk. One such crash nearly cost Tasha Hairston Springs her life. She was texting at 70 mph without wearing a seat belt when she struck a highway barrier.
“I thought responding to my daughter was urgent—but I never considered it could have been the last time I spoke to her,” said Hairston, now an advocate against distracted driving.
Advocating a holistic safety strategy
The Safe System Approach promoted by NSC takes a comprehensive view of traffic safety, recognizing that human error is inevitable and that road systems should minimize the consequences of those errors. It calls for coordination across government, the private sector, and the public.
This year’s awareness campaign is sponsored by The Home Depot and aims to drive adoption of safer driving habits and support for broader roadway safety reforms.
NSC has advocated for traffic safety for more than a century, with efforts spanning workplace and roadway risks. The organization maintains that zero traffic deaths is the only acceptable goal.
