Faces of Distracted Driving: Hear the stories, get the message

Since the launch of our "Faces of Distracted Driving" series in November, the response has been overwhelming.  In less than five months, these videos have been viewed over 100,000 times in communities all across the country.

They're being shown in driver education classrooms.  The Army is using them as training aids.  And we've heard from people of all ages--including those who aren't even old enough to drive--who are pledging to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their phones in the glove box.

To take our campaign to the next level during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, I'm proud to announce the release of a new public service announcement that will continue spreading the word about the tragic costs of texting and cell phone use while driving.

This 30-second PSA, “Get the Message,” features people from across the country who lost loved ones in distracted driving crashes and have spoken out through our “Faces of Distracted Driving” campaign. The video is also available for download now on our Distraction.gov website.

None of this would have been possible without the courageous families who have bravely chosen to share their stories of loss with the world.

There are sisters like Emily Reynolds, who is already a leader for youth safety at just 17 years old.  And there are daughters like Laurie Hevier, who channels her grief into activism in the hopes of making the world a safer place for her young child.

There are mothers like Elissa Schee, who helped create FocusDriven, the first distracted driving victims' advocacy group.  And there are fathers like Joel Feldman, who produced his own video for our series in the hopes that no other family would have to experience a loss like his.

Each of these people, and so many more like them, have turned the worst moment in their lives into an opportunity to save others.  I am so grateful for their efforts.  And their incredible work helps fuel my own commitment to putting an end to distracted driving.

In the coming weeks and months, we'll continue to feature the faces behind the statistics of this deadly epidemic.  Please hear their stories and get the message: No text or phone call is worth the risk.

If you have a distracted driving experience you'd like to share, post a video on YouTube and email a link to faces@distraction.gov.

Comments

[Johnny D]

What is really distracting are these articles every day!

[David S. McQueen]

The problem is that people pay attention to operating a motor vehicle only part of the time. There are a myriad of "distractions" that detract from a 100% focus on operation of the vehicle.

Certainly, you can regulate and ban the use of cell phones in moving vehicles. You can even ban eating food in a moving vehicle. The problem is that you cannot ban every conceivable distraction. The only thing you can do that is effective overall is educate drivers to be aware of their primary responsibility: operating the vehicle in a safe/legal manner.

Instead of spending taxpayer money on revenue-gathering operations for motor vehicle violations, spend it on educating drivers.

[Resilience Training]

No doubt these videos are touching and effective, but I highly recommend you check out some of the highly recognized TV Advertisements made by TAC Australia on the same topic of road fatalities

[Alice]

Thanks for covering this topic and the links to "Faces of Distracted Driving". The problem of Distracted Driving obviously gets too little attention. I keep telling mu son about not using the cell phone while driving but I'm still not sure he does as I tell because every day I see many young people driving and using cell phone or even girls using rear view mirror to apply lipstick...That makes my hair stand on end.

[Amanda]

Thank you very much for paying attention to this problem. I used to be a careless driver in my teens until I nearly ran over a man with a dog. That changed my attitude and now I even hardly talk while driving (and I have a pilot's license!) However, I could have been not that lucky that time. Learning by your own mistakes is the worst way to learn about the dangers of distracted driving.

[Robert]

I agree with Johnny D. Most people associate distracted driving with talking on cell phones, but the actual list of distractions is endless. As a person dealing with driving safety issues, I notice it every day. Using mirrors for fixing makeup, eating, kissing, writing messages, even watching films or videos(!!!) - to name just a few I saw. I think that the problem of distracted driving is becoming even more serious than even DUI. The latter is somehow deterred by the law and penalties, with the former, only educating and increasing awareness can help. It's a good idea to post a large list of all such distractions, not just those that brought about accidents but even those that you noticed and that might potentially cause an accident. Very often people take certain activities as normal and safe while driving and have no idea how dangerous they can be.