Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving calls on everyone to do their part for safety

Today, we take a big step forward in our fight against the deadly epidemic of distracted driving. With the release of our Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving, DOT is putting critical safety information into the hands of those who can make the biggest difference.

Parents, teens, driving instructors, automakers, and safety advocates can all use the new blueprint to take this important effort to the next level.

While we’ve made progress in the past three years by raising awareness about this risky behavior, the simple fact is people are continuing to be killed and injured. In 2010, at least 3,092 people were killed on our nation's roads in distraction-affected crashes. That's approximately one in every ten fatalities, and we can put an end to it.

Helping persuade people to take personal responsibility for putting down that cell phone has been an effective first step. Our "Faces of Distracted Driving" video series has made that clear with painful testimony of the tragic costs of distraction and an impassioned plea that "Safe driving starts with you."

 

I know many of you have made a big change and no longer make calls or read text messages while driving. You're not only driving distraction-free, but you're also demonstrating safe behavior for the young drivers and soon-to-be drivers who ride with you.

But we need everyone to do their part, whether it’s helping pass strong laws, educate our youngest and most vulnerable drivers, or starting your own campaign to end distracted driving. And that's where our new Blueprint comes in.

The blueprint builds on the national momentum we've spearheaded for the last three years and outlines steps everyone can take, including:

• Encouraging the remaining 11 states without distracted driving laws to enact and enforce this critical legislation;
• Challenging the auto industry to adopt new and future guidelines that reduce the potential for distractions on devices built or brought into vehicles;
• Partnering with driver education professionals to add new materials that educate novices about driver distraction and its consequences; and
• Providing everyone with actions they can take to help end distracted driving on America's roadways.

We have a very clear challenge to respond to. More than three-quarters of drivers in a recent NHTSA survey reported that they are willing to answer calls while driving. Survey respondents reported feeling unsafe when riding in vehicles in which the driver is texting, yet they acknowledged few driving situations when they would not use the phone or text.

Do Americans understand that distracted driving is dangerous? Yes. Yet this dangerous behavior persists on our roads. While you're reading this, 660,000 drivers are out there, using their cell phones behind the wheel.

I'm proud of the gains we've made during the past three years. But there is work to be done, and we need everyone's help. The Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving builds on what we know and takes us where we need to go.

With this blueprint, we will save lives.

Comments

[Williebee732]

Should people drive while having pets? Is it as dangerous as texting and driving?

Often sometimes while I’m riding down the road I can’t help but notice people driving and texting, and in the past there have been a lot of deaths with texting and driving. Although the government took action with that particular incident, is it worse having a dog or cat, any pet while driving? My mother and I have seen this take place so much in North Carolina, that I am frighten and skeptical about the rest of North Carolina or even bigger the United States. I am a huge pet fan. I love pets, and my entire family loves dogs and pets, but there is a line that we as a society should not cross, and having an animal to freely roam around inside vehicle while the vehicle is in motion is unethical. This issue is called Distracted Driving, which is taking place for the house to pass the bill. In my eyes, if we as a country feel like we should ban texting and driving it is only fair that we do the same for pets, no matter how much we train or raise a pet, we never know what they are subjected to do while they are in our laps while we are driving.
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 515,000 people were wounded due to texting and driving. Since 2009, the government has put the law in effect so that more people would not get hurt. I’m comparing texting and driving to pets in the drivers lap, because it is an issue that can do the same to hundreds and thousands of people worldwide, and yes it is a safety hazard that I feel as a country we can avoid to help and not hurt. Distracted driving is not only reckless, but I think it is in the same category as drunk driving or under age driving. In 2011, the AAA foundation tallied up that 65 percent of pet owners admitted to having their dog driving or their cat on the dashboard while driving, and 52 percent pets their animals while they’re in the backseat. Talk about dangerous! In New Jersey, they have already focused on Distracted Driving, and are now fining people $250-$1000 if a driver is driving while not having their pet restrained while the vehicle is in motion. The three types of Distracted Driving are cognitive, manual, and visual.
A spokeswoman for the New Jersey motor vehicle commission reported to Fox news that, “We don’t want dogs driving with the steering wheel, and we don’t want cats who sit on the dashboard.” Her statement is very understandable due to the fact that it’s a huge distraction away from the road and to drivers’ surroundings, keeping in mind that whenever a person is driving that all of their attention should be directed to the road.
One day my mom and I went out to lunch to a burger joint, and on the way there we see a lady and her dog driving beside us as we made a stop at the stoplight. My mom brought the woman to my attention, furious that the lady was so careless to have a dog in her lap while she was controlling a vehicle in heavy traffic. My mom discussed with me how there should be a law against pets in the driver seat with the owner. When the traffic light changed, the woman was driving and trying to get in her right lane for a turn up ahead, but not checking her rear view mirrors because she was distracted by her dog licking her face, she got into an accident. Ever since that moment, I became an advocate because I see the accident first-hand, and there is nothing like seeing for yourself.
About a couple of weeks ago, I witnessed another first-hand collision that almost took place not even a fifth of a mile from my house. A relative of mine and I were late going to my pro-am basketball game, but on our way there we had to pick my niece up from her grandmother’s house. My relative wants to send a text message to my niece’s grandmother letting her know that we were on our way to get her. Keep in mind that we were running late, so as she was writing the text out, we pull up to a stop sign and a biker rides by. My relative looks to see if she has the ok to pull out, and sees that no cars were coming to deny her from pulling into the road. After she clears the road she glances back at her phone to send off the message. While pulling out into the road I yelled her name, and her face straightens, looking up, mouth opened wide, and eyes stretched as big as day. She slams on her brakes, almost running over a biker. We looked at each other knowing that if I didn’t say anything it would have been a sad day. I reminded her like I did in the past that texting and driving is a form of distracted driving and that it is very dangerous, and she knows how much my family supports the cause. My uncle, who is a gospel announcer, assisted and promoted my cousin, cousin Illie Baker Jr., in wiring a song called “Don’t text and drive,” which he plays every day, so that we as a society can be mindful that we can be killed or can kill someone without intentionally doing it.
I really think that the government should prohibit drivers in all states to not have pets, people, or objects to interfere with a person’s control of the vehicle, as people tend to overlook the vitality of safety on the road. Imagine driving with a baby in your lap. That would be senseless and it is unthinkable to drive so reckless. It is also unwise to drive with pets unrestrained inside the vehicle. Driving and multitasking is a total fail, multitasking and trying to look out for another person’s safety, rather pedestrians or fellow drivers. According to Esurance, 5 tips to avoid driving distractions include: keeping children and pets restrained, turning off cell phones, not eating while driving, and if you don’t know how to get somewhere, programing your GPS before leaving the driveway. These are great tips on how to be a safe driver. Making the world a better place starts off with the smaller things. As a result, the smaller things, or problems become bigger solutions. If you are a distracted driver, please take heed to this problem and help support the prevention of Distracted Drivers.

[Richard Wilson]

Thanks for all you do to raise awareness about Distracted Driving!

We're starting a new series for teens called EDGE ST. and our first episode centers on - you guessed it! - Teens and Distracted Driving ~ so, if you could help spread the word somehow, I'd deeply appreciate it! (We're over at Indiegogo - http://igg.me/p/199046?a=994777 .)

Many, many thanks,
Richard

[Tommy Petersen]

But Caddilac is allowed to sell a car with a built-in tablet computer.