U.S. Virgin Islands – Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has officially declared April 2025 as Distracted Driving Awareness Month in the U.S. Virgin Islands, reinforcing the territory’s commitment to safer roadways and saving lives through education and enforcement.
Distracted driving remains a significant threat to public safety. According to data collected through Report Beam, distracted driving contributed to approximately 3,821 crashes, resulting in 556 injuries and two fatalities in the territory in FY2024. These incidents were frequently linked to dangerous driving behaviors, which continue to pose serious risks on our roadways, including:
- Failure to maintain a safe distance
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Failure to keep proper lane or running off the road
- Illegally crossing the median
- Use of handheld devices while driving
“This proclamation is not just a call to action—it’s a commitment to protecting every person on our roads,” said VIOHS Director, Daphne O’Neal. “No text, call, or distraction is worth a life. We must all work together to shift the culture around distracted driving and encourage safe habits behind the wheel. Every injury and every life lost is one too many.”
Throughout April, the Virgin Islands Police Department/Office of Highway Safety (VIPD/OHS) will conduct community outreach, digital campaigns, and enforcement initiatives to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Residents are urged to drive with full attention and avoid using handheld devices, eating, or engaging in any other behavior that diverts their focus from the road.
Drivers are reminded that even a moment of inattention can lead to irreversible consequences. Distracted driving doesn’t just put the driver at risk — it endangers passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone sharing the road. This month—and every day—motorists are urged to put down the phone, stay focused, and make safety their top priority every time they’re behind the wheel.
Stay Focused, Stay Safe- Just Drive!
For more information, and resources on distracted driving prevention visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving or www.vipd.vi.gov. To request a traffic safety presentation, contact the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through Director Daphne O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov, or Impaired Driving Program Manager, K’ Tonya Petrus at k’tonya. petrus@vi.gov. You may also contact the office via telephone at (340) 772-3025, or (340) 513-5291.
