We’ve all seen the feature on our phone — the little half-moon that most of us use to keep our phone from buzzing when we’re trying to sleep so we are not disturbed. Just as we try to not look at our phone when napping, drivers should do the same when on the road. That’s exactly what the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is reminding drivers of this fall with the third annual Do Not Disturb While Driving Day approaching on October 17.

The Do Not Disturb feature on our phones blocks texts, calls, and other notifications while you are driving, which makes it easier to concentrate on the road until you get to your destination. According to the National Distracted Driving Coalition, the goal of Do Not Disturb While Driving Day is to raise awareness of the need for drivers to turn on the feature and turn off the temptation to look at their phone while on the road. The coalition is also encouraging employers to implement policies that will ensure their employees are distraction free while driving on business.

While the Do Not Disturb feature automatically silences and prevents incoming notifications from appearing on the screen when a mobile phone connects to a vehicle, research shows that few drivers have the feature set to automatically engage while driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed 3,308 lives in 2022. An estimated 289,310 additional people were injured in crashes involving distracted driving in 2022.

FDOT reminds drivers to pay attention to the road and other drivers around them. For more information on distracted driving and how to avoid becoming a victim of it, visit the National Distracted Driving Coalition’s Do Not Disturb While Driving Day web page.