PITTSBURGH — AAA East Central announced a new awareness campaign to engage the public in fighting the rise of distracted driving, which can be as deadly as impaired and drowsy driving.

The #actionagainstdistraction pledge campaign on Instagram aims to encourage responsible driving by asking the public to make a commitment to driving distraction- free.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives and caused nearly 290,000 injuries in 2022 — an average of nine fatalities daily. When a motorist takes their eyes off the road for just five seconds while driving at 55 miles per hour, it’s like driving the length of a football field blindfolded.

“Distracted driving has become one of the deadliest behaviors behind the wheel, and it’s claiming lives every day,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs, AAA East Central. “Anything that diverts your attention reduces your chances of reaching your destination safely and puts you in a position of potentially harming others.”

According to the latest AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, 93% of drivers recognize the dangers of texting, emailing and reading while driving. However, 27% of drivers reported sending a text/email, 37% report reading a text/ email, and 36% report holding and talking on a phone while driving in the past 30 days.

To stay focused behind the wheel and help prevent tragedies, AAA recommends motorists:

■ Use the Driving Focus feature on smartphones to minimize distractions.

■ Pull over safely to make a call or send a text.

■ While a passenger, speak up if the driver of the vehicle is distracted.

■ Put phones out of sight to reduce temptation.

■ Program GPS before starting a trip, not while driving.

■ Ask passengers for help with navigation, calls or texts.

■ Don’t be a distraction — avoid calling or texting others while they’re driving.