2nd National Distracted Driving Summit to build on last year's momentum

From the powerful momentum of last year's distracted driving summit, we've seen some important efforts emerge in the fight against this deadly epidemic. But we're not about to rest now.

That's why we're hosting a second National Distracted Driving Summit on September 21 here in Washington, DC. By getting the best minds together, we think we can figure out effective ways to get people to put down their phones and pay attention to the road.

So, we're gathering transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, industry representatives, researchers, and people affected by distraction-related crashes. We're going to put our heads together, and we're going to share the latest research, technology, policy, public outreach, and enforcement practices.

And when we're done with the summit, we're going to continue working to put an end to the thousands of needless deaths and injuries caused by distracted driving each year.

I am very grateful to the people who have already worked very hard in this campaign to make our roads safer. In less than a year, we've had terrific results:

• Dozens of new state and local anti-distracted driving measures
• Federal texting ban for commercial truck and bus drivers
• Texting ban for federal employees
• Pilot enforcement campaigns in Hartford and Syracuse
• Distraction.gov web resource
• UN sponsored Global Call to End Distracted Driving
• Many, many grassroots efforts to educate drivers

We've learned a lot in the past year, but there is plenty of new information to share. So we have every reason to believe that we will emerge from this year's summit with even more momentum than last year.

And to make sure we attain that critical mass, we're going to webcast the summit again this year so anyone who can't attend can still benefit from the knowledge and experience we're bringing together. Stay tuned to distraction.gov's new 2010 Summit page as the date approaches for more information.

I'm thrilled with the progress we've made so far, but--with 6,000 people being killed annually by distracted driving and more than half a million others being injured--we can't afford to be satisfied. I know we can do more, and I'm confident this summit will help us take this fight to the next level.

Comments

[Nikol Hillman]

I would like to attend the summit, is it open to the public?
I report daily with tips via twitter to over 1000 followers to help keep drivers focused and on course & to help end distracted driving.

http://twitter.com/fleetistics

[Online Traffic School]

should be considered by taking all the things under one place and hopefully they do more research and get exact stats for this.
Is it open for all or..?

[Chicago Midway Hotel]

I bet it would be rather easy to create the technology where police could have something like a radar gun, yet which detects text messages. I think the components are already developed and they just need to be put together.

Without fear, it is so hard to deter people.

Otherwise, make it illegal for all to text while driving, and then have public awareness campaigns that your insurance will not cover you if phone records indicate that you were active on texting with 5 minutes of driving (so that people can't argue it was done at the stoplight).

[Michael E. Bailey]

A second summet on distracted driving will help convince more people of the need to keep cell phones in the glove compartment while driving the car. Its time to build the momentum that was started last year. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[David Dubov]

Perhaps Rep. Dan Lungren would be a good speaker at the summit, given his recent warning on driving distracted which led to speeding.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15648692?nclick_check=1

At the very least, an open letter from Secretary LaHood might be a wake-up for Rep. Lungren.

[Terry Jessip]

How do we control this new addiction? If we truly think about one major issue it would be; Media controls society, then media needs to help control texting or talking on cellphones while driving.

Young drivers today have grown up in the world knowing allot about technology and have adapted to changes at an alarming rate. When students from Jr. High to College ages finish classes for the day their cell phones are turned on and their fingers go to work. how do we control it? In my opinion we need parents across America to get real and help their teens realize it is not good practice to drive and attempt to talk or text on any cell phone device while in the drivers seat. We can say it starts at home, but again if parents are guilty of this too then car insurance companies are going to have to increase rates for every vehicle accident due to distracting driving.

[Todd Jones]

New technology is available that may change the way the problem of Distracted Driving is handled. PhoneBeagle software monitors phone activity and alerts when texting and calls happen during driving. http://www.phonebeagle.com

[Diane Johnson]

Here's an idea that may help as we need all the help we can 2 END Distracted Driving Globally:

Print 720 FREE "Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving" safety reminder stickers (to put on cells &/or drivers' visors; to wear & to SHARE singlely, in strips of 5 or 10, or pages of 30; &/or to "seal" snail mail) + 30 site direction stickers so others can get their own 720 on Avery 5260 labels @

http://myplace.frontier.com/~DriveSafely/

The “Turn Off Cell B/4 Driving!” safety reminder stickers site has already had over 286 hits (thru 8/17/10) from as far away as Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, South Africa, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, India & Bolivia!

24 pages x 30 labels = 720 x 286 = 205,920 reminder stickers + 1 page x 30 x 286 = 8,520 site directions so MORE people will get their OWN: 8,520 x 720 = 6,134,400!!!!!!!…..... IMAGINE!!!!!.....

Be the FIRST in YOUR community to spread the Turn OFF Cell B/4 Driving message! SAVE LIVES TODAY!!

[Ryan Smithson]

Driver safety has always been our concern. We have some great ongoing safety tips on our web site at http://www.nationwideofkernersville.com