Students Explore Dangers of Distracted Driving at Sonoma Raceway

By Bay City News Service

Seven students drove cars on the Sonoma Raceway while texting on phones and performing other diversions today during a drill meant to bring attention to the dangers of distracted driving, a raceway spokesperson said.

The college and high school students got into cars with instructors and were placed through drills on the raceway such as lane changes and time maneuvers while focused on their driving and while distracted, said Diana Brennan, spokesperson for the Sonoma raceway.

The distractions included texting on phones, adjusting the air conditioning and changing stations on a radio, Brennan said.

Instructors graded each student on their ability to complete the tests and how distracted they were during the drives, she said.

The event was held to increase awareness about the dangers of cell phone use and other diversions that may cause fatal or injury accidents, especially among young people, she said.

According to the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,092 people were killed and an estimated 416,000 injured in auto accidents involving distracted drivers in 2010, and distracted driving was a factor in 11 percent of all fatal accidents involving people 20 years old and younger.

The instructors who did the testing came from the Simraceway Performance Driving Center, a professional racing school at the raceway, at Highways 37 and 121 in Sonoma.

The event was organized by St. Joseph Health of Sonoma County, the Farmers Insurance Co. and the California Highway Patrol.

Students in the racing tests included four from Mesa Verde High School in Citrus Heights, two from Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield and one from Sonoma State University.

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