April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a crucial opportunity to confront the dangers of losing focus behind the wheel. A quick glance at a phone, a fumble with a snack, or even a wandering mind can turn a routine drive into a life-altering tragedy. For over a decade, Kars4Kids—a car donation program supporting educational and mentoring initiatives for children—has been championing awareness of this pressing issue. To shed light on the problem of distracted driving and explore effective solutions, we spoke with Jennifer Morrison, Director of Vehicle Safety Strategy at Mazda North American Operations. Her expertise propels Mazda’s innovative approach to enhancing vehicle safety.
In this informative interview, Morrison traces the evolution of distracted driving, from the rise of smartphones to the often overlooked mental distractions we face. She highlights Mazda’s advanced safety technologies designed to keep drivers focused while sharing practical strategies for safer driving. As we mark Distracted Driving Awareness Month, join us to discover how awareness, technology, and mindful habits can pave the way for safer roads for everyone.
Kars4Kids: Kars4Kids has been trying to spread awareness of distracted driving since at least 2013. How would you define distracted driving? When did experts first become of aware of the problem of distracted driving? What are some statistics we should know about distracted driving?
Jennifer Morrison: Distracted driving is anything that diverts your attention from the road, but today, it often takes the form of cell phone use behind the wheel. According to Cambridge Mobile Telematics, distracted driving fell 8.6% in 2024, preventing over 100,000 crashes and 480 fatalities—progress that’s encouraging but still urgent.
Kars4Kids: Do we know when the term “distracted driving” became part of the lexicon? Can you describe some of the early efforts to curb this hazardous driving behavior? How have efforts in this respect evolved over time?
Jennifer Morrison: The term “distracted driving” became widespread with the rise of cell phones (and later smartphones) in cars, but distractions existed long before (eating, tuning the radio, interacting with passengers). Early efforts to curb these behaviors often came in the form of public service announcements and billboards. Once cell phones became the key source of distraction in the early 2000s, immediate efforts focused on eliminating phones in vehicles altogether. When public officials recognized that eliminating phones from vehicles entirely wasn’t realistic, the focus shifted toward minimizing risk through safer integration, such as hands-free technology and in-car interfaces, alongside continued efforts in public education and awareness campaigns
Kars4Kids: How has the mobile phone impacted driving? Has there been an increase in fatalities due to distracted driving since such phones became an indispensable 24/7 part of our everyday lives?
Jennifer Morrison: Mobile phones have fundamentally changed driving behavior by pulling attention away from the road in immersive and addictive ways. While we can’t perfectly isolate the data, there’s a clear correlation between the rise of mobile devices and a spike in traffic fatalities and crashes in the 2000s.
Kars4Kids: Aside from mobile phones, what are some of the most common distractions for drivers and what should drivers be doing to minimize such distractions?
Jennifer Morrison: Mental distractions such as replaying a tough conversation or stressing about work are often overlooked but can be just as dangerous as reaching for your phone. Drivers need to be aware when they are not mentally present and give themselves permission to pull over and reset before continuing.
Kars4Kids: Teens have historically been particularly vulnerable to the perils of distracted driving. Can you outline some of the reasons for this, and what steps parents can take to keep them safe?
Jennifer Morrison: Teens are new drivers without the muscle memory or split-second judgment that come from experience behind the wheel. It’s not that cell phones are more distracting for teens than for adults, but adults typically have more driving experience to fall back on. Parents play a crucial role in keeping their teens safe by modeling safe behavior—if teens see their parents driving with their phones in hand, they’ll assume it’s okay.
Kars4Kids: Can you tell us about some of the technologies that have been developed to combat distracted driving?
Jennifer Morrison: Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems can act as crucial backstops if a driver’s attention slips. Plus, technologies like wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto can help reduce hands-on phone use while behind the wheel.
Kars4Kids: You’re the director of Vehicle Safety Strategy at Mazda. When did auto manufacturers first begin to address the hazards of distracted driving and how have they done so? What steps has Mazda taken in this regard?
Jennifer Morrison: Since the early 2000s, automakers have worked to make in-car technology safer and more intuitive. At Mazda, this remains at the forefront through the integration of systems like driver attention alerts and interface designs that prioritize minimal distraction while keeping drivers engaged. Every new Mazda vehicle comes equipped with i-Activsense, our suite of advanced safety technologies that includes FAEB, BSW, RCTA, and LDW. These active and pre-crash systems are designed to support the driver and enhance awareness, helping reduce the risk of accidents—especially in moments of distraction. How these features are integrated into the vehicle, like the use of a head-up driving display, to keep your eyes up and on the road, can also help.
It is important to remember that despite the incredible safety advancements that these features provide, the features themselves are not meant to replace attentive and safe driving.
Kars4Kids: Do you have any advice for passengers who find themselves at the mercy of a distracted driver? What should they do? Should they say something to the driver—ask to get out of the car? It could be awkward, especially if it’s a family member who’s driving, plus there’s no guarantee they’ll take the warning seriously.
Jennifer Morrison: If it’s safe to do so, calmly speak up. Even a simple statement like “I’m uncomfortable with you doing anything but driving right now” can go a long way. In a rideshare situation, it’s important to report the behavior through the app—your feedback might help protect the next passenger.
Kars4Kids: Do you see any reason for encouragement in regard to curbing distracted driving behavior? Have there been any improvements in the statistics?
Jennifer Morrison: Yes—recently released data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics reports that distracted driving dropped in 2024, and fatalities have followed. With increased awareness, hands-free laws, and the rise of behavior-based insurance incentives, we’re finally seeing some sustained progress. I also think younger people today are going to be smarter about this; they understand cell phones are great and don’t want them to go away, but that we can put them away until the right time.
Kars4Kids: Are there any innovations on the horizon that can give us hope for the future that we can rein in this scourge that threatens drivers, passengers, and others on the road?
Jennifer Morrison: Absolutely— insurance companies that are leaning in to behavior-based insurance, using vehicle and cell phone connected data to provide insurance rate incentives to reward safer driving behavior have huge potential., Additionally, in-vehicle driver monitoring systems, like those in our new CX-70 and CX-90, can detect signs of fatigue or inattention before something goes wrong encouraging us to keep moving in a safer direction.
