Drivers can test their ability to drive while distracted or impaired by taking a spin on the Ohio 

Department of Transportation’s new Distracted Driver Simulator at the Grandview Heights High School 

on April 7th, 2014. Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, the simulator tour is stopping at safety-related 

events statewide to help combat distracted driving, including cell phone use while driving.

The Distracted Driver Simulator is part of ODOT’s comprehensive roadway safety campaign “Every

Move You Make, Keep It Safe” which aims to educate Ohioans on how to use the roads safely – 

whether behind the wheel, behind the handlebars or on foot. “Distracted driving is dangerous and has 

serious – even fatal – consequences,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “In particular, cell phone use while 

driving is very risky and our new simulator tour will show Ohioans the real dangers and consequences of 

distracted driving.”

In 2011, Ohio law enforcement agencies reported 33 fatalities, 450 serious injuries and 12,958 crashes 

that were attributed to distracted or fatigued driving. “Every time you take your eyes off the road – even 

for just a few seconds – you put your life in danger and you put others in danger too,” ODOT District 

Deputy Director said.

Crashes cost Ohioans nearly $13 billion a year. About 40% of all serious injuries in Ohio occur at

intersections. And, more than 50 percent of all fatalities involve roadway departure crashes. These 

crashes occur when drivers and riders leave the road and hit fixed objects such as trees and utility poles, 

or they leave the travel lane and sideswipe another vehicle or hit it head on.

“Each year distracted driving accidents account for millions of dollars in damages and countless numbers 

of lives,” said Officer Scott Hiles. “The Grandview Heights, Division of Police wants drivers to understand 

that every time they talk or text behind the wheel they are making a choice that could have devastating 

and irreversible consequences.

ODOT’s new safety campaign is linked to the state’s overall goal of reducing roadway fatalities 5 percent 

by 2015. With nearly 300,000 crashes across Ohio in 2010 and more than 1,000 deaths, ODOT could help 

save 150 lives on Ohio’s roadways. The distracted driver simulator experience challenges the participant 

to navigate city streets and highways while talking on the phone, sending a text message and listening to 

passenger conversations