CEI Group has developed a 25-minute online lesson called Avoiding Distracted Driving
. A part of the company's DriverCare Web-Based Training, the lesson features computer-graphic simulations of collisions and examples of the distractions that cause them.

"Distracted driving is a growing and urgent public issue," said Ryan Woolfenden, senior manager of business development at CEI. "According to the National Safety Council, it causes six percent of all roadway crashes a year, 330,000 injuries and 2,600 fatalities."

Avoiding Distracted Driving consists of interactive exercises, a 10-question final test and a certificate of completion, which can be downloaded and printed.

The lesson touches on how prevalent distraction is. Taking eyes off the road for more than two seconds for any reason is considered distraction, and drivers engage in distracting behavior about 30 percent of the time they're on the road.

Even when drivers' eyes are on the road, using a cell phone can pose a greater risk than driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08, the legal limit, CEI says. As opposed to driving drunk, distracted driving can be controlled.

"We hope that by offering this lesson we can contribute to increased awareness of the problem and recognition that assuming personal responsibility to avoid distractions is key to solving it," Woolfenden said.

More info: www.ceinetwork.com