A quick glance at a smartphone screen after a text alert can be all it takes to divert a driver’s eyes from the road long enough to lead to an accident.

As Distracted Driving Awareness Month wraps up this week, authorities across the country are pleading with drivers to curb what the National Safety Council calls an epidemic.

Eating, reading, applying makeup and other common tasks increase the chances of an accident or near-accident by three times, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Texting is the most alarming distraction,” the administration said in its annual study. “Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. “

The administration said 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 were injured in 1 million crashes in 2015 due to distracted driving.

In Illinois, lawmakers have tried to limit distractions by making the use of handheld cellphones illegal while driving and limiting hands-free use to people age 19 or older. The first offense is a $120 fine, higher in school or work zones.

“It’s easy to get caught up in (using cellphones.) It’s our world now,” said Effingham County Sheriff Dave Mahon.

The state this week will observe Distracted Driving Awareness Week, and Mahon has asked his deputies to put in extra effort to stop people committing the offense and issue a citation or a warning as appropriate. There isn’t a special detail, like for driving under the influence enforcement, but Mahon said such efforts are possible in the future.

The Illinois State Police said they will “be giving special attention to distracted driving laws” during the week.

People between the ages of 16 and 24 are the most likely to use a phone while driving, according to the NHTSA.

The problem comes from people trying to multitask during the approximately 75 minutes a day they are in the car, Illinois State Police Trooper Tammy Welborn said in a press release.

“If you’re driving your vehicle, you are already multitasking,” Welborn said. “At a minimum, you are operating a vehicle at roadway speed, and you are calculating the distances and the navigation of all other drivers and obstacles around you.”

Milldrum writes for the Effingham, Illinois Daily News.