Trauma Service
Serving over 2.6 million people, Stanford Medicine is the only Level 1 Adult and Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center verified by the American College of Surgeons (ASC) on the peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area. We provide specialized care to over 3700 patients per year and handle 20-25 consults daily. We offer exceptional 24-hours-a-day onsite trauma specialists in a state-of-the art facility, fully equipped to handle any medical or surgical emergency.
Garden Level
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-736-5800 Getting Here »
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Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is defined as driving inattention—taking your attention away from driving while doing another activity. These activities can include texting, changing radio stations, brushing your hair, eating, or other activities that draw attention (and often hands and eyes) away from the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describes distracted driving as:
- Visual: taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving
Driving distracted killed 3,328 people nationally in 2012 and injured 421,000.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control – CDC)
What can you do to prevent injuries and deaths due to distracted driving?
- Put your phone away while driving—studies show that even hands-free driving takes attention away from the road and increases your chance of a crash.
- NEVER text and drive. Sending a text message takes at least 5 seconds, which is equivalent to driving 60mph, with no eyes on the road for the length of a football field. Texting is the most concerning distraction, as it takes your eyes, hands, and attention off the road.
- California law states that it is illegal for drivers under 18 years old to talk on the phone while driving holding the phone or hands-free.
- Follow the Graduated Drivers Licensing Law (GDL). Inexperienced drivers are more frequently involved in accidents, and distractions from other passengers increase risk.
Learn more about distracted driving at www.impactteendrivers.org.
The Injury Prevention Program in the Trauma Service at Stanford Health Care works with Impact Teen Drivers, California Highway Patrol, and Traffic Safe Communities in Santa Clara County and others. High school classroom and assembly presentations are available by contacting 650-724-9369.
