The Distracted Driving summit we announced in August is about to convene tomorrow, and I can't wait to get started.
Folks, it's simple: a driver operating a cell phone or texting while driving is SIX times more likely to be involved in an accident. SIX times.
If you're driving down the road, trying to dial a number or text, you cannot pay appropriate attention to the car in front of you or the car behind you or the traffic and pedestrians around you.
How do we know this? Because over 80% of car accidents occur while drivers are distracted in some way.
Americans are waking up to the danger distracted drivers pose to themselves, to us, and to our loved ones. We can no longer afford to ignore new technology's impact on road safety.
Suddenly, everyone--automakers, safety advocates, motorists' associations, insurance companies, school officials, trucking industry groups, parents of victims, children of victims, law enforcement
agencies; newspapers, websites, bloggers, editors, television networks--is saying the same thing: distracted driving needs to stop.
We've all observed the rise of this hazard, and I want to spend these two days seeing what we can do to stop this deadly epidemic on America's roadways.
The summit will gather senior transportation officials, elected officials, safety advocates, law enforcement representatives, private sector representatives, and academics--an array of folks whose expertise can help us meet this challenge.
We'll clarify the scope and various sources of the problem, then look at ways to manage it--whether through education and public awareness initiatives or legislative and regulatory approaches and enforcement.
Now, a great feature of the 2-day meeting is that we're webcasting it. And viewers of the live webcast can submit questions online to the panelists they're watching. It's quite an opportunity for the public to get involved in this historic dialogue.
Look, we're not out to take anyone's technology away; we just want people to drive safely. And it's not just texting and cell phones and navigation systems; driving with your attention anywhere but on the road--for any reason--is just too dangerous.
So, let's get together this Wednesday and Thursday either at the summit or online and figure out the best way to move forward on this. Please join us.
Folks, it's simple: a driver operating a cell phone or texting while driving is SIX times more likely to be involved in an accident. SIX times.
If you're driving down the road, trying to dial a number or text, you cannot pay appropriate attention to the car in front of you or the car behind you or the traffic and pedestrians around you.
How do we know this? Because over 80% of car accidents occur while drivers are distracted in some way.
Americans are waking up to the danger distracted drivers pose to themselves, to us, and to our loved ones. We can no longer afford to ignore new technology's impact on road safety.
Suddenly, everyone--automakers, safety advocates, motorists' associations, insurance companies, school officials, trucking industry groups, parents of victims, children of victims, law enforcement
agencies; newspapers, websites, bloggers, editors, television networks--is saying the same thing: distracted driving needs to stop.
We've all observed the rise of this hazard, and I want to spend these two days seeing what we can do to stop this deadly epidemic on America's roadways.
The summit will gather senior transportation officials, elected officials, safety advocates, law enforcement representatives, private sector representatives, and academics--an array of folks whose expertise can help us meet this challenge.
We'll clarify the scope and various sources of the problem, then look at ways to manage it--whether through education and public awareness initiatives or legislative and regulatory approaches and enforcement.
Now, a great feature of the 2-day meeting is that we're webcasting it. And viewers of the live webcast can submit questions online to the panelists they're watching. It's quite an opportunity for the public to get involved in this historic dialogue.
Look, we're not out to take anyone's technology away; we just want people to drive safely. And it's not just texting and cell phones and navigation systems; driving with your attention anywhere but on the road--for any reason--is just too dangerous.
So, let's get together this Wednesday and Thursday either at the summit or online and figure out the best way to move forward on this. Please join us.
Please include long-distance truck drivers in the discussion.
Posted by: herwig | September 29, 2009 at 03:19 PM
Texting and driving is now illegal in Utah. The state's that still allow it need to hop on board.
Posted by: jared | September 29, 2009 at 03:43 PM
I remember before California passed the cell phone and driving law that went into effect in January that you would see nearly every driver holding a cell phone and trying to drive at the same time and it was rare to see anyone driving and not using the cell phone. Today, it is rare to see anyone driving and using the cell phone. Most people don't because there is a $25.00 or so ticket if you do. The ticket cost is not high. It's enough to get the driver's attention and is good public education that driving and using a cell phone at the same time is dangerous. But tickets in any amount gets insurance companies attention, too. And the driver who gets a ticket for holding a cell phone talking and driving might see their insurance rates go up. In the California law, hands free phones are still legal to use. Have a great summit and best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.
Posted by: Michael E. Bailey | September 30, 2009 at 01:31 AM
I don't believe there should be any texting allowed, I mean look at the commuter rail accidents, they are on a track and are running into things. It is not a stretch to imagine how many car accidents are caused by texting. Let's make it illegal, at least the liability will be placed properly then when accidents do occur.
Posted by: David Pinckney | September 30, 2009 at 11:38 AM
I think the idea of removing of reducing distracted drivers is great. No one can deny the a person trying to text on a device is distracted. However, I question and validity of eliminating hand-free devices such as voice activated phones. And if we do ban phones and other such devices, why should we stop there?
Has anyone been distracted by a heated conversation with a passenger? Ban all passengers. Has anyone been distracted by a crying child? Ban all children. Has anyone been distract by spilling coffee or any other food item? Ban all eating and drinking. Has anyone been distracted while changing a radio station or adjusting the cool/heat controls? Ban all radios, air conditioners, heater, cruise controls, etc. Has anyone been distracted while lighting a cigareete (or, my favorite, have the ash-end drop off)? Ban all smoking.
You can see that all these things (and many more) are valid distracters. If we ban all of them, we might as well ride a horse or walk. By banning the symptoms, you miss the root cause of the problem which is personal responsibility.
Make people responsible for their actions. Make the penalty significant enough that people will not want to be subjected to it and then ENFORCE it. Don't tell people what they can or cannot do but tell them if they elect to do something that is ill-advised, they will pay the price.
Posted by: julioh | September 30, 2009 at 11:53 AM
"Look, we're not out to take anyone's technology away; we just want people to drive safely."
Lip service,
A motorists veers off the road into a bike lane and kills someone. They receive a fine of $274 dollars.
A motorists stops and then crushes a stroller, while crossing the sidewalk. Distracted and no charges filed.
A vehicle moving at a high rate of speed, hits jaywalker no charges filed.
Posted by: BB | September 30, 2009 at 03:55 PM
there must be more logical ways to spend our time and financial resources other than holding a "distracting driver summit"; this is truly annoying when so many other issues are on the table and need immediate attention. We obviously don't know how to prioritize the issues...and the people up top should step down into the public to become enriched with the issues of what Americans see as important as opposed to insignificant...this is so ridiculous.
Posted by: road warrior | September 30, 2009 at 10:25 PM
With technology getting more interlinked with our everyday activities I think we will need some good common-sense regulation to combat drivers who are distracted. Anyone who travels sees daily that not just young drivers but every age has a problem with texting, talking, or just searching the internet with their phones while driving. The answer on what to do is a tough one.
Posted by: Jake | October 09, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Today, it is rare to see anyone driving and using the cell phone. Most people don't because there is a $25.00 or so ticket if you do. The ticket cost is not high. It's enough to get the driver's attention and is good public education that driving and using a cell phone at the same time is dangerous. But tickets in any amount gets insurance companies attention, too.
Posted by: create a free blog | July 30, 2010 at 09:17 PM