Paying attention and following all traffic laws are the two things asked of drivers in Texas when behind the wheel. Unfortunately, many do neither. Distracted driving is particularly concerning, as every year, numerous individuals suffer injuries or lose their lives in accidents caused by drivers who simply aren’t paying attention.
With everything else already going on in 2020, state officials hoped that there would be a decrease in traffic fatalities. Sadly, that has not happened. In fact, the number of traffic fatalities is on track to be around the same as in previous years. Why? Distracted driving is a major factor. For this reason, the Texas Department of Transportation recently released a distracted driving education game that people can play at home.
Dart Those Distractions
Named “Dart Those Distractions,” the game is a take on the old “pop the balloon” carnival game. Players have to toss darts over a windshield and hit the balloons on the other side. The balloons represent distractions, things like:
- Grooming
- Playing with in-vehicle electronics
- Eating
Of course, texting and general cellphone use are also problems, but the makers of the game want people to understand that other things cause distractions while driving, as well.
The goal of the game
The goal of the game is simply to bring awareness to the distracted driving problem in Texas. Right now, it is worse than some may realize. Currently, one in five accidents in the state is the result of drivers not focusing on the road.
How to play
The DOT designed Dart Those Distractions to be engaging for drivers of all ages. If you want to play or have your teenage driver play, you can access the game online on either a desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone. A QR code is available for easy access.
Effectiveness
Only time will tell if Dart Those Distractions will help curb the number of distracted driving accidents that occur here. The hope is that it will make a difference, though it is not expected to stop the collisions from occurring entirely. At the end of the day, the only way distracted driving accidents will stop is if drivers make the conscious decision to do their part and focus on the road, and let everything else wait until they get to their destination.