April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Cellphone use has become the most common distraction, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to actions like adjusting the radio or GPS, eating and drinking, and applying makeup.

NHTSA data shows distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2020.

In L.A., more than 5,000 cellphone driving citations were issued in the first quarter of this year, according to the Los Angeles Police Dept.

Jim Jones survived being hit by a distracted driver nine years ago when he was run over while walking in a crosswalk. He was struck by a 19-year-old driver talking on the phone.

Jones suffered severe injuries and brain damage. His main goal was to recover enough to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, which he did after a grueling rehabilitation

"If people who are driving in a distracted way could just for a moment think about what could happen, and what could happen to their family -- because at that moment they're not thinking about anything but themselves," said Jones.

• April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

• Tips to Help You Prevent Driving 'Intexticated' - Automobile Club of Southern California

• Driver Distractions - California Department of Motor Vehicles