Law enforcement agencies statewide will be "Joining Forces" and focusing on distracted drivers July 22 through August 8, 2016. Five seconds is the average time eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55mph, that's like traveling the length of a football field while blindfolded. University of Nevada, Reno Police Services are working diligently to urge motorists to keep their eyes on the road and put away cell phones or other items that cause distractions.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in the United States. Local enforcement wants to remind people the phone call or text can wait until motorists arrive at their destination safely.

"We encourage both drivers and pedestrians to put away distractions while traveling the roadways in our jurisdiction," Adam Garcia, director of University Police Services, said. "Even a few seconds of distraction can be deadly, especially with the high number of vehicles and pedestrians using our roadways on a daily basis."

For resources about distracted driving, please visit distraction.gov.

For more information on "Joining Forces" and other statewide traffic safety programs, please visit zerofatalitiesnv.com. Follow Zero Fatalities Nevada on social media at @ZeroFatalitiesNV.