What auto dealerships can do for Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Distracted Driving Awareness Month has arrived. For the twelfth year, April has been designated as the month to promote distracted driving awareness, and the focus couldn’t be more important. The National Safety Council is committed to ensuring there are fewer distractions on the road, considering there were more than 46,000 on-road deaths in 2021 that could have been prevented. This staggering statistic is up 9% over the previous year.

The biggest distractions come from in-vehicle technology systems and mobile devices. Additionally, eating on the road and talking with passengers can also cause a distraction. 

The good news is that there are steps dealerships can take to help prevent these accidents from occurring. We’ve put together a few tips that your dealership can do to prevent distracted driving and promote this important month. Plus, these tips will not only protect your customers but also help you gain more business. 

Provide Informative Materials to Customers

With every customer that visits your service center, you can provide a hand-out discussing the importance of paying attention while driving. You can find informative hand-outs from national safety councils or have your marketing department create your own. 

You can also hang these materials around the customer waiting area, so they can read them while they wait. Make sure the information is colorful and eye-catching to ensure everyone sees it. You can get special materials printed for the keychains or hang something over the rearview mirror. 

Write Blogs/Informational Pieces on Website

Your dealership’s blog is a vital way to communicate necessary information with your customers. During April, it’s important that you share the sobering statistics with your audience and offer helpful tips to prevent accidents. 

Put something at the bottom of the blog that encourages interaction. For example, you can ask the readers what tends to distract them the most on the road. Another idea is to ask readers to share their best tips for prevention. 

Have Drivers Take Pledge for Special Discount

Everyone loves a good discount and your dealership should want to provide one for a good cause. If you can get customers to sign a pledge, they could be given a big discount that can’t be received elsewhere. The pledge should include keeping eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, and minds on what’s happening ahead. 

You can put the pledge online to collect names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers. In return, the customer gains access to a special deal, such as a free oil change or tire rotation. The other benefit the dealership gains is access to customer information for future promotions and correspondence. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. 

As you commit to more community protection, you show that your dealership is committed to creating better surroundings for everyone. You become trusted and you do your part for the safety of your clients. It’s one more way to prove that you care about those living around your dealership, thereby establishing your location as the leader.

Did you enjoy this article from Brian Jones? Read other articles on CBT News here. Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic by submitting a letter to the editor here, or connect with us at newsroom@cbtnews.com.