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We all know we shouldn’t drive distracted… but let’s be honest — distractions are everywhere.
Phone notifications, incoming calls, conversations, even our own brains rattling off everything we still have to do today—it’s a lot. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month (DDAM), and it’s a great time to reflect on our own habits and focus. 
In Nebraska, distracted driving caused over 1,300 crashes in 2022—and that’s just what made it into the official reports. Most of our understanding comes from crash and citation data, but anyone who drives here regularly can spot the real-world signs: people eating, putting on makeup, glued to their phones.
Nebraska has a secondary law for texting while driving, which means you have to be pulled over for something else (like speeding) before you can be ticketed for texting. That makes enforcement tricky. And while no one wants a ticket, sometimes just knowing you could get one is enough to change behavior.
Here’s the kicker: texting while driving increases your risk of crashing by 23 times.
It’s not just risky—it’s reckless.
And when it comes to teen drivers, the numbers get even more concerning. According to a Nebraska survey:
77% of licensed teens said they’d talked on the phone while driving in the past month.
66% admitted to reading or sending texts behind the wheel.
That’s two out of three teen drivers distracted by their phones. Not a lecture—just the reality. Distraction is a habit, and habits are tough to break without a real reason.
This year we’re excited to bring back our high school PSA contest: Take Action Against Distraction. Groups developed their own 30
second PSA videos about the dangers of distracted driving and are sharing them across social media throughout the month of April. One winner from Class A, B, C, and D schools will be chosen, as well as one in Spanish, and receive $2,000 for their group, class, or school.
Locations of registered schools
You can view the full list of competing schools and submissions here. Like, share, and comment to boost their numbers!
We have more resources and information for you regarding distracted driving here.
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