Nebraska, Kentucky ban texting behind the wheel; Oprah to broadcast live on No Phone Zone Day

We've got exciting news on the Distracted Driving front this morning.

First, as I Tweeted and posted on Facebook last week, two states have joined the growing list--23 and counting!--of those who have banned texting behind the wheel: Nebraska and Kentucky.
 

I want to thank the state legislators for passing those safety measures and Governors Dave Heineman (NE) and Steve Beshear (KY) for signing them into law. Welcome to the list, numbers 22 and 23!

I hope to hear the same great news from other states soon. In Michigan, a texting ban has just moved through the state legislature. And Georgia is not far behind.

Second, the Oprah Winfrey Show has set aside next Friday, April 30, as No Phone Zone Day, "a national day of awareness to end distracted driving."

Courtesy oprah.com

The day will feature a live broadcast of Oprah's show. But this episode of "Oprah" will not just take place in her Chicago studio; it will also offer live segments from five other locations around the country.

One of those locations is our nation's capital, Washington, DC, and I am really looking forward to being on that live broadcast from the Newseum with Gayle King. We will be joined by DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier and--one of my heroes in this campaign to make our roads safer--Focus Driven's Jennifer Smith.

This live No Phone Zone event will also be celebrated in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington.

This deadly epidemic has to stop.

I'll have more details about show locations in those cities at a later date. If you're interested in attending a broadcast in one of those communities, information will be posted at Oprah's website and at WSB-TV channel 2 in Atlanta, WCVB-TV channel 5 in Boston, WXYZ channel 7 in Detroit, KABC channel 7 in Los Angeles, and WJLA channel 7 in Washington.

The show will encourage everyone to put down cell phones behind the wheel and talk about ways you can help stop distracted driving in your communities. We'll have a dialogue with victims' families, elected officials, advocacy organizations, parents, youth, and law enforcement. In addition, Oprah will unveil a new "No Phone Zone" public service announcement campaign.

This is an exciting moment in our efforts to make America's roads safer for everyone. I appreciate the resources Oprah and her team are devoting to ending this deadly epidemic, and I hope audiences across the US will tune in to hear this important broadcast.

In the meantime, you can learn more about the risks of distracted driving at distraction.gov.

Comments

[Tom]

I agree that people of all ages should put down the cell phone while driving. When did staying that connected to everyone really matter so much? Your OMG, or LOL or you get the picture message can wait until you hit the Starbucks for your Coffee right? Nice article and look forward to the show to see more on this.

[Diane Johnson]

Suggestion: Mr. LaHood, Oprah & her guests WEAR "Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving!" stickers on The Oprah Show on Friday, 4/30/10!!

4/30/10 is also the end of "April Is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month"; please let it be the start of the END of Distracted Driving!!!

As an advocate of stopping the use of ALL cell phones by ALL drivers since 1/13/10, I've reached people as far away as Bolivia & the United Kingdom. We must let legislators know we demand that our roads be safer.

Get 720 FREE "Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving!" stickers to put on cells & drivors' visors, to wear & to SHARE, &/or to "seal" snail mail by buying Avery 5260 labels & going to
http://myplace.frontier.com/~DriveSafely/
Save 30 to print site directions so other can get 720 of their OWN!

Join Facebook Group Drive Safely: Don't Use Your Cell Phone While Driving
Become a Fan of Facebook Page Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving

If you don't feel safe on our roads, DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING to stop drivers from using cell phones while driving!

WHY? Answers @

http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/CognitiveDistraction.aspx

[Dawn Wilkie]

I completely agree that texting while driving is a huge safety concern but the problem lies much deeper than the cell phone. Where did personal responsibility go? If the adult is responsible...they will teach the next generation to be responsible...driving is a privilege not a right. Because we have neglected to teach our children that, we are now reaping the rewards of a "no limits" mentality. There are many other driving distractions we all are guilty of....eating, drinking, putting on make-up, changing the CD, plugging in the iPod, helping the baby in the backseat, cars with DVD players, programming the navigation system, and a hundred more. Are we going to allow the government to legislate all of our distractions right into Communism or are we going to start being responsible Americans who are rearing the next generation of responsible Americans?!

[HarveyHelmet]

From this twitter address I tweet road safety tips
From @S_i_n_s I tweet winter road safety tips

I have been DRIVING for over 26 years, what I see commuting, are merely MOTORISTS, driving is a skill, if you are not skilled, you are a mere motorist.

Motorists, do not signal lane changes or turns, turn into more than one lane, and never check mirrors. They block intersections because they do not know a green light does not mean GO. It means PROCEED IF and WHEN the WAY is CLEAR, and at no other time should you PROCEED.

Cell phones distract, Ontario has bluetooth hands-free law. Ipods distract, unclear windows distract. In winter motorists attempt to move in nothing more than a snowbank on wheels. Morning dew is not see-through, stop relying on a button to make skinny lines, use a rag and wipe it off. I think there should be laws on that, make all your vision panels clear of snow,ice,frost,dew,dirt, and debris, and your lights too, I always have headlights on, light travels faster, so its more visible, Visibility is key to prevention of collisions and fatalities.
Check my author webpage at www.johnrossharvey.com for a pedestrian safety article last January, reprinted in local papers.

I am a caring, loving person, my driver's manual is more like Simon Cowell, it is tough love, very critical, and should be in Oprah's hands very soon.

Like many sane people, I signed Oprah's pledge.

[gloria]

You want to stop these people from using a cell and driving ? How about a ban on cell phones for the state police ? Huh ? I can't tell you how many times a day we see PA state ploice driving and talking on a cell . Goodness , one actually cut me off the other day , no turn signal , no warning at all while he had a cell phone up to his ear .

[Michael E. Bailey]

It looks like eliminating distracted driving is an idea that finally has caught on and that is a great thing that has been a long time in coming. Its even better that a major television program like Ophra is taking it seriously and devoting lots of time and effort in the fight to end distracted driving. The momentum has to be kept up and stay moving forward. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[David]

President Obama signed an Executive Order banning texting in Federal vehicles and by extension recipients of Government Transportation Grants including the States. The Order generally defines texting as interaction with an electronic device; however, legislatures across the country continue to Mandate that citizens install electronic Interlock devices in cars wherein Random Retests are required of the driver. That is, the device sounds an alarm and the driver must "Blow into the device every 5 or 10 minutes and at random times after that otherwise the horn starts blaring and the vehicle lights start blinking and the car may shut down among other things. This of course is for the purpose of stopping DWI accidents and a Nobel effort indeed, however, this is, Distracted Driving, therefore, the law Mandates driving Impaired via Distracted Driving for driving Impaired via drinking and driving. It is questionable whether any government can Mandate it's citizens to do an unsafe thing as a condition of driving privilege. The objective is Safety for all of us not to substitute one driving impairment for another. Driving while blowing into and interacting with the microprocessor while driving is Distracted Driving and unsafe just like any other interaction with an electronic device while driving. Secondly, if someone was driving impaired under alcohol and interacted with an electronic device by blowing into it several times, the compounded Distraction would increase (not decrease) the likelyhood of an accident; not to mention driving with a horn blaring and lights blinking that would also increase the risk of accidents to other drivers. Just my two cents.
Just my two cents.

[David]

PS The alternative is to stop and interact with the electronic device, however, this is often not feasible or Safe; for example, stopping on the Emergency side of the Highway, stopping in snow where one may not regain traction or on private property is often not legal or Safe. The solution is to have everyone install the Interlock devices but use the device program option to accept tests only during predetermined periods of the day and at vehicle start up (while the car is not being driven.