April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and transportation officials say the issue is a big problem in the Bronx.

According to the National Highway Safety Administration, distracted driving accounts for 10 percent of all fatal crashes and 17 percent of all accidents that cause injuries.

Because of those statistics, police have cracked down on the practice. 

In the Bronx, police issued more than 22,000 distracted driving tickets in the last two years, according to the state Department of Transportation. The department also says Bronx drivers accounted for 8.8 percent of all distracted driving tickets in New York City in 2015.

"I would recommend for everyone to complete a defensive driving course," says Elias Soltero, a driving instructor at Always Better Choice. 

Distracted driving can include looking at smartphones, driving while eating or anything that will distract drivers from paying attention to the road, according to officials.