National Two-Second Turnoff Day has a simple message: Turn it off and just drive!

Today, Seventeen Magazine and AAA have one thing to say to America's young drivers: Turn off your phone to save your life!"

That's the message of National Two-Second Turnoff Day, a day on which Seventeen, AAA, and the Department of Transportation are reminding everyone that turning your attention away from the road while driving for just two seconds doubles your crash risk. And that two seconds is all it takes to shut off your phone to protect yourself and others from potential distraction.

Because, we know that texting and talking on a cell phone while driving can have deadly consequences for more than just the distracted driver. This behavior also kills passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and people in other vehicles. In 2008, distracted driving-related crashes killed 6,000 people and injured at least half a million more.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. Photo courtesy AAA

To mark National Two-Second Turn Off Day, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland took part in an event here in Washington, DC, where the audience pledged to "Turn it off!"

As Administrator Strickland said, "Your choice will keep you and your friends and family safe. You are choosing to be part of the solution to distracted driving crashes. And you are helping us spread the word."

He also praised the young filmmakers and safety advocates who produced videos for the Seventeen Magazine-AAA-DOT-sponsored National Two-Second Turnoff Day Video Challenge:

"I especially want to congratulate all the participating teens who have shown their creativity and commitment to spreading the message with their video entries. They were great!"

In an event in New York City, Seventeen Editor-in-Chief Ann Shoket, unveiled the contest winner, Emily Lambert (above), and runners-up, Danielle and Justin Levy and the crew from TTYL (below). The month-long challenge drew terrific entries from across the nation, but these two were recognized as standing apart from the crowd.

I want to thank our partners at Seventeen Magazine and AAA for working with us on this contest. But I also want to send a special thanks to the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), who spent considerable energy promoting our video challenge to America's young people.

NOYS has been a tireless partner in so many of our efforts in this fight to end distracted driving, and you'll hear more about them next week at our national Distracted Driving Summit.

And, on the subject of Tuesday's summit, I want to thank the great folks at Autoblog.com for letting me borrow some space on their website to deliver my safety message directly to America's car lovers. Autoblog has a fantastic community; within minutes of posting my message, their readers responded with dozens of comments.

Finally, as the summit approaches, I want to also thank Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post for letting me bend her ear about the dangers of this deadly epidemic. I'm glad to know she's been making it to the office without checking her messages!

Comments

[Morgan Paige]

This is a great way to spread awareness of the dangers of distracted driving! Here is a link to a website that expands on promoting safety concerning teen drivers. It is filled with webisodes, PSAs, and even more concerning the subject! http://impactteendrivers.org/

[Linda Halpern Campbell]

The most overwhelming concern any young person, any American can have is the quality of their air, water and soil. It would really be a turn in the direction of true health and true integrity if the White House and the EPA would concern itself with the issue of corporations as Exxon bullying farmers for mineral rights and intoxicating our water which with an iota of proprietary cocktail mix that can kill all of us. Then there is the issue of carbon caps- there should be NO EMISSIONS OF SO2, NOX, hydrofluorocarbons, CO2- NONE AT ALL- doesn't the EPA want its kids to breathe and live. Why isn’t anyone talking about the air-compressed car? What about intoxiating us with the pesticdes as GMOs. We, young people cannot believe you do not want to protect your selves, your own families, AMEROCANS-us. Is there a moral hazard here that shields the WHITE HOUSE and EPA from progress? Are you guys in denial....just bring it to the people, let’s win our health future back! The most overwhelming concern any young person, any American have is the quality of
their air, water and soil. It would really be a turn in the direction of true health and true integrity if the White House and the EPA wuld concern itself with the issue of corporations as Exxon bullying farmers for mineral rights and intoxicating our water which with an iota of proprietary coktail mix will kill all of us. Then there is the issue of carbon caps- there should be NO EMISSIONS OF SO2, NOX, hydrofluorocarbons, CO@- NONE AT ALL- doesn't the EPA want its kids to breathe and live. What about intoxiating us with the pesticdes og GMO. WE young people cannot believe you do npt want to protect us. Is there a moral hazard here that shields the WHITE HOUSE and EPA from progress?

[Richard Winters]

Its good to see that this serious problem is getting the attention it needs. Its hard to believe how many people, not just young people,there are driving down the road with their attention so clearly on something other than their driving. Its a miracle that more people are not killed than there is.

[Bill Richards]

It is not the job of the Department of Transportation nor the Secretary to spend money on "summits", campaigns against technical inventions or videos.

Please perform the job you are supposed to do which is to maintain the infrastructure and monitor and regulate the manufacture of transportation equipment. Once the cars/trucks hit the road, you should be out of the picture as far as that equipment goes unless a defect is discovered.

[Steve @ Eco SEO]

Isn't it illegal to text or talk on the telephone over there? Here in the UK it is, if you are caught (and yes, a lot of people are pulled over for it) you get 3 points on your license, if you click up 12 points you lose it for 6 months. The only option is to use a hands free kit in the car.