Simulator puts brakes on distracted driving - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

More than a million accidents every year are connected to cell phone use. A distracted driving simulator mad a stop at Owens Corning in downtown Toledo in an effort to put the brakes on those numbers.

According to the National Safety Council, 25 percent of all crashes in the US every year are connected to cell phones.

In those accidents, 500,000 people are hurt and 5,000 others are killed.

Drivers who use cell phones, both handheld and hands-free, are four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

"People believe other drivers are a hazard when they're doing this," says Matt Schroder with Owens Corning. "They tend to trust themselves, but, when you sit down and do this, you realize maybe you can't trust yourself as much as you thought."

Owens corning has just implemented a cell phone ban for employees.

"No texting, e-mailing or calling with hands-free or handheld phones to conduct company business while driving in the car," Schroder says.

It's not just the dangers of distracted driving they're showing people. Owens Corning is also showing people what it's like to be drunk.

"It alters your depth perception, gives you a blurry look, and puts you off balance," says Toledo Police Sergeant Greg Mahlman.

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of workplace fatalities.

Using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. More than 70 percent of the companies that have implemented a total ban of use of cell phones report no decrease in productivity.

More than 5,000 people are killed in cell phone related accidents every year. That works out to 13 deaths every day.

The simulator is open to the public until 7:30 Wednesday night at Owens Corning World Headquarters.

It's heading to the University of Toledo on Thursday and to the Oregon municipal complex on Friday.