BATON ROUGE – State highway safety officials say distracted driving has become a “dangerous epidemic” in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and is reminding drivers to keep their eyes and attention on the road.

"We all see it every day, people looking at their phones instead

of the traffic in front of them, and it is a very real cause for concern," said Dr. Katara Williams, LHSC Executive Director. "Distracted driving kills thousands of people every year across this country, and Louisiana is not immune from this epidemic."

LHSC says 192 people in Louisiana were killed and 26,977 were hurt from 2011 to 2015 because of some distraction inside or outside the vehicle.

"I'm asking everyone in Louisiana to examine their own behavior to make sure they are contributing to the solution and not to the problem," Dr. Williams said. "Set a good example for your children and friends by putting away your cell phone while you're driving."