It’s no surprise that driving distracted can get you into trouble. Cell phones, iPods, rowdy passengers, and screaming babies have all been seen as culprits in crashes caused by a distracted driver. Today, however, a Minnesota man hit a utility pole after a somewhat unusual distraction. 18 year old Michael Allen Butler told police that he lost control of the vehicle….wait for it…after his dog started vomiting on him.

While this story may be funny, the next stat may not. Distracted driving, whether caused by a cell phone or dog vomit, has been a major cause of car crash deaths, killing nearly 6,000 people in 2008 and injuring more than a half million.

Remember, you can be distracted from what you are doing both mentally and physically. Taking your hands off the wheel, your eyes of the road, or your mind out of the driver’s seat is not only dangerous to you but also the other drivers on the road—and the fatal car accident statistics reflect that.

I encourage all Missouri drivers to put their cell phones down, keep their minds alert and focus their eyes ahead (and, maybe if their dogs are looking a bit queasy, leave them at home.)