Distracted driving summit garners strong support

Last week, I announced that DOT would convene a summit in late September on distracted driving. Well, I must have touched a nerve, because the response has been enthusiastic and overwhelmingly supportive.

And now that we're getting toward back-to-school time, children all over the country will soon return to our roadways and sidewalks and crosswalks. So, it seems more important than ever to share with you the scope of the response to the upcoming summit and the message that distracted driving is just too dangerous.

Below is a news segment from WTHI in Indiana about one local program trying to raise awareness of this important message.

Everywhere I've gone since the announcement, people have been telling me the distracted driving horror stories they've witnessed or been victims of. And I mean everywhere. Everywhere I look, I read of an organization or a news editor echoing my call to end this dangerous practice.

Something powerful is going on: Americans are waking up to the danger we risk when we turn our attention from the road for even a moment.

Suddenly, everyone--Automakers, safety advocates, motorists' associations, insurance companies, school officials, trucking industry groups, lawyers for victims, lawyers for drivers, parents of victims, children of victims, law enforcement agencies; newspapers, websites, bloggers, tweeters, newsletters, television networks--is saying the same thing: distracted driving needs to stop.

Folks, I don't know what's going to come from the summit--I only know that too many people are being injured or killed by something that is completely within our own ability to stop. And I look forward to  reporting back from the summit on this page next month.

In the meantime, please remember:

Letting your concentration drift, for any reason, while driving, endangers your life and the lives of others.

So, as our children head back to their schoolday routines, I ask you--as Secretary of Transportation, yes, but also as the grandfather of nine wonderful kids--please, let's keep our eyes and our minds on the road.

Comments

[ron]

The distracted driving problem is not too hard to fix.
Install phone jammers in autos !!!

[Joe Brennan]

My company, Trinity-Noble, has patented technologies which would solve cell phone related driver distraction once and for all. We are keen on getting more information on the Summit in September. While we applaud the new focus on devising policy (perhaps at the national level)data and the news show that policies prohibiting cell phone use by drivers goes largely ignored (do you really think teenagers are going to stop texting while driving just because an adult tells them to?). Would love to learn how to get on the invitee list or the presenter list. Thanks.

[Rusty Weiss]

I am THRILLED distracted driving is getting this focus. We have over 500,000 videos of teens having trouble driving safely - distraction is one of the leading ROOT CAUSES. We are compiling the TOP 10 most compelling distraction examples right now - if nothing else, watching them will make you increase YOUR awareness on the road - Rusty at DriveCam

[Brent Wilhite]

This is definitely a hot topic that has states scrambling to find ways to educate the public. Today the Utah Department of Transportation in partnership with the Utah Department of Public Safety, introduced a 15-minute DVD that educates drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and illustrates, through a true-life example, how one Utah teen’s texting while driving resulted in the deaths of two men The direct link to the video is http://ut.zerofatalities.com/#texting

[John Hunt]

So what beaurocrat sits back and decides when there are enough "rules" already?

[Steven Sauer]

How can we get our portable road simulator, the Rattle Tracker, www.rattletracker.com into the market place reducing our need for foriegn oil. The down turn in the Auto Market has caused a contraction of spending at the dealership level and a major reduction in equipment spending to the point where we have lost the interest shown before the down turn, and we dont know when things will improve.

[George Rice]

One person on a Sunday afternoon changed my life and those of many around me. The person was in a vehicle with a phone and other distractions. We were riding to bring awareness to brain injuries. We left as a group of five, and when it was over, three of us went home. The person came behind my friends and struck and killed them as they landed on the person's hood and their bicycles disintegrated. Please let me know how I can help.

[Richard VanMetter]

As a cyclist in our nations capital I still sees many drivers on cell phones even though it is illegal. When cycling in traffic I am completely dependent on drivers for my safety. Distracted drivers put me, my fellow cyclists and pedestrians as unnecessary risk. What is a fender-bender for a driver can be deadly for a cyclist or pedestrian.

Thank you for shining a spot light on distracted driving. Like smoking and drunk driving that were once accepted, the acceptance of distracted drivers requires a change in attitude by the public at large. This will require both legal reforms and educational efforts.

[Raymond]

We really need to stop all distracted driving by making laws that will make people think before they get on the cell phone while driving. Fines don't seem to working or slowing down these people in states that actually have the laws. I would suggest it be treated the same as drunk driving, including mandatory jail time. If someone kills one of your children because they are being negligent....I don't think it will matter whether they were driving drunk or driving distracted. Lets get them off the road...now!

[Garry Zimmerman]

Cellphone use while driving needs to stop now.

[Curt]

The upcoming summit is of great importance and interest. My company, Jotto Desk, has been outfitting vehicles with laptop mounts for 15+ years. Primarily, our customer base has been Public Safety...focusing on police, fire, and EMS. In the past 5 years, our growth in selling laptop mounts to other industries has grown greatly.

With that growth, also grew a concern for distracted driving and the role the laptop computer played in the day to day for business. We realized the temptation to work/drive was the same as to text/drive. There for we have developed a software program that blanks the computer screen from viewing/interaction while the vehicle is moving.

A. We would like to encourage the Summit to expand its focus to the laptop computer...not just the cell phone.

B. We would like to be a participant from the technology portion, much like ZoomSafer and other companies are.

[Mattyoug]

Insurance companies report a 30% reduction in accidents with automatic lane detection and warning when the drivers veers off. Ford Motor company is gungho, such a device should pay for itself in a year with lower insurance premiums.

Forward looking obstacle detect and collision warnings, some with automatic braking are becoming cheaper ad further reduce insurance costs.

Vehicle detect with low cost automatic signal devices on cars can be connected with intersections to manage signals and reduce traffic stop and go.

Finally we get automatic lane guidance that can manage steering during cruise control.

All of these technology drops in price dramatically over time and the insurance rates fall faster yielding faster pay off.

The technology combines with automatic congestion pricing and one gets three and fourth order effects of safety and traffic synchronization.

[Richard Stead]

The topic of distracted driving always seems to be taken as synonymous with cell phone use. While cell phone use has gotten a lot of attention due to inexperienced drivers using cell phones and especially the shocking act of texting while driving, cell phone use is not the only form of common distraction. Afterall, there is little difference between cell phone use and the use of CBs, ham radios and other communication devices while driving, and these have been common for decades. And I have personally witnessed erratic driving in heavy traffic by people reading newspapers, shaving and applying makeup. But I guarantee that there is a very common form of distracted driving that no politician will ever touch - smoking while driving. Yet, this has been well-known as a dangerous form of distracted driving, so much so that it has been a Hollywood cliche. When a film shows the driver drop a cigarette or match or a big ash from a cigarette and then looks down, the camera can just cut away at that point - everyone in the audience knows what happens next. It's a shame that our leaders will never have the courage to act on that knowledge.

[Electronic Cigarette]

We must get through to the young people about this texting thing. Some of them are going to die and they are going to take people with them. That is a fact.

[UnifiedMobileCom]

Every Body is trying to stop the Impossible .. !!
Let's just face it .. We've been doing it for years .. seems we can't live without it.
Our Children have watched Us do it .. Now They Are Doing It Too .. !!
Then Their children are going to watch our children do it .. Learned Behavior .. !!
That's how the human race has evolved since creation and birth ..
And Actually .. That's O.K. .. We ARE Going To Talk On Our Phone ..
One Way or Another .. !!
Just Do It The Right Way .. Use A Unified Messaging Service .. (UMS) .. Be Hands Free .. Don't Risk It ..
A UMS with your mobile device coupled to a form of bluetooth device such as a headset or earpeice works!
To See A Live Demonstration on How To Drive Hands Free visit http://www.BeHandsFree.org

[Electronic Cigarette Nation]

I think the cell phones do need to banned while driving but we need a valuable substitution method for employees who work on the road for a living.

[logo design]

The fact that there is no law that bans the use of mobile phone while driving demonstrates the stupidity of the Government. Numerous deaths have occurred because of this matter. Every week tens of people die each State die because they are talking on the cell when they should have their full attention on the road.

Regardless of how emergent the matter may seem, one needs to think. What is more important than my life? The answer is nothing. It does not matter whether there is an important client or a date with a girlfriend to which we are late. If we happen to die on our way there; more so for a stupid reason, then none of this would really mean much to you.

[tinggi badan]

Suddenly, everyone--Automakers, safety advocates, motorists' associations, insurance companies, school officials, trucking industry groups, lawyers for victims, lawyers for drivers, parents of victims, children of victims, law enforcement agencies; newspapers, websites, bloggers, tweeters,

[Adee]

Great to find such effort has been made, I think cell phone during driving should not be used at all because nothing important then life. A HEAVY fine should be taken. logo design

[Play Games]

When I was younger, I didn't think much of using a cellphone and driving. As the years have gone by, I realize what a fool I was. The less distractions we have when driving, the better!

[sanj]

Hi,
This is good blog to awareness about distracted driving. Governments and even environmental experts are trying their best to create awareness among people about the potential harms and threats to life which could take place due to distracted driving deaths. Sign boards must be placed on roads where there is more risk of accidents and the traffic is more adverse, this way distracted driving deaths can be averted.
Thanks.
sanj

[serial numbers]

We are keen on getting more information on the Summit in September. While we applaud the new focus on devising policy (perhaps at the national level)data and the news show that policies prohibiting cell phone use by drivers goes largely ignored (do you really think teenagers are going to stop texting while driving just because an adult tells them to?).

[Replica nfl jerseys]

We must get through to the young people about this texting thing. Some of them are going to die and they are going to take people with them. That is a fact.

[Denver Events]

Many of the countries, even the third world countries, are doing legislation about this very issue. One of my friend from Pakistan told me that they are not allowed to talk on mobile phone while driving unless they use hands free. This is very important to pass the law to avoid distracted driving.

[marcus moree]

Distracted driving is also a very critical issue as we are witnessing and even reading in the new locally and globally the numbers of lives that are lost or affected by this.Being a responsible person i would like to share few things that i do not do while driving:
-Use of Cell Phone/Mobile Phone
-Do not Drink and Drive
-Stay Wake and Alert
-Do not do Rash Driving