CDOT Encourages Drivers to Get Turned On for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Every day in Colorado, distracted drivers are involved in an average of 43 crashes - many leading to serious injury or death. In conjunction with April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, CDOT is leading the statewide charge to address the issue, which accounts for nearly 13 percent of all crashes on Colorado roads, with its Get Turned On campaign.

CDOT’s Get Turned On campaign urges drivers with iPhones to turn on “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode to prevent incoming distractions. Once enabled, the feature works by blocking incoming text messages and other notifications when connected to a car’s Bluetooth or when the phone detects the vehicle is in motion. Drivers without Bluetooth can also manually turn on “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode. When a driver using Do Not Disturb receives a text message, the sender will get an automated reply from the driver. Android phones offer a similar function and there are also other third-party apps designed to achieve the same goal regardless of the type of phone a person uses. CDOT has a list of these apps on its website at distracted.codot.gov.  

To create a buzz around the campaign and make it fun for users, CDOT has created an online “auto-reply generator” tool on its website. Users can browse a series of lifestyle categories and traits and choose a unique auto-reply with which they identify. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, busy parent, music lover or sports fan, CDOT has created dozens of clever options to make using Do Not Disturb While Driving more engaging. Click here to view the auto-reply generator.

CDOT has also partnered with several local celebrity advocates and influencers who use Do Not Disturb While Driving to share their auto replies and further raise awareness for the campaign. Celebrities involved in the campaign include Denver7's Jayson Luber.

For more information about distracted driving in Colorado and to learn more about the Get Turned On campaign, visit distracted.codot.gov.