x
Breaking News
More () »

KARE 11's #eyesUP campaign to end distracted driving

Alicia Lewis and the entire KARE 11 team are encouraging viewers to keep their #eyesUP and on the road with a new distracted-driving campaign focused on changing driving behavior. 

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Distracted driving is a danger that continues to grow in Minnesota. Almost 30 percent of Minnesota drivers were found to be distracted when behind the wheel according to the most recent Minnesota Distracted Driving Survey done by the State of Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Alicia Lewis and the entire KARE 11 team is dedicated to bringing awareness to this issue while providing important resources and information that can change distracted driving behavior. 

For Lewis, the push to end distracted driving is personal. Lewis recalls an incident in high school when she was behind the wheel and heard the ding of an incoming text. 

"I looked down as I was driving and started writing that reply," she said. "And in just a matter of seconds, my car was driving into the ditch, smashing into things. I had glass from my windshield all over me."

Luckily, for Lewis, her car hit a mailbox -- not a person or another vehicle. But that didn't stop the "what ifs" from coming to mind. 

"What if what I hit was not a something, but a someone," Lewis said. 

That's why she, along with KARE 11, is urging everyone to take the pledge -- a pledge to put down the phone, put aside the food, stop the distractions and just drive.  

TAKE THE PLEDGEkare11.com/eyesup

The #eyesUP campaign kicked off with a live show from Chanhassen High School at 11 a.m. on KARE 11. The show featured a moving presentation by Matt Logan, a father from southeastern Minnesota who lost his daughter, Deej, in a distracted driving accident. Logan is dedicated to spreading the message to teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Viewers are encouraged to keep the conversation going using the #eyesUP on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Let us know what questions you have or how this conversation impacts you.

After the live show, KARE 11 will continue the conversation in various segments that highlight the work of distracted driving advocates around the state and some of the important tools and resources that are being developed to change distracted driving behavior.  

If you have a story idea you would like to share, please send it to news@kare11.com.

Before You Leave, Check This Out