April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and a representative from the Dallas County Health Department offers suggestions to limit distractions.

Community Health Educator Natalie Peters tells Raccoon Valley Radio that a main distracting behavior is phone usage with texting, scrolling through music applications, or trying to plug in an address while driving. She discusses some ways to prevent reaching for devices while driving.

“It’s a good idea just before you get on the road to maybe put it in your glovebox, or put it away in the back seat or something where you’re not going to be able to reach it if you’re tempted. If you have a passenger driving with you then if you need to send a text or look something up then ask them to do it for you, so that you can keep your eyes on the road while still getting done whatever you need to get done.”

Peters points out that distracted driving is a top issue in the country as it leads to thousands of deaths yearly. She mentions that people should take care of driving preparations prior to leaving the destination.