"Distracted driving is a menace to society," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday as he opened the federal summit on text messaging, cell phoning and other forms of dangerous behaviors behind the wheel. The government was ready with the statistical evidence: 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured in 2008 in which distracted driving was a factor. Sixteen percent of fatal crashes had the link, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found. "Distracted driving is an epidemic and it seems to be getting worse every year," LaHood told his audience of experts on … [Read more...]
Distracted driving summit starts Wednesday
September 27, 2009 by 2 Comments
The U.S. Department of Transportation's summit on distracted driving begins Wednesday, bringing more than 200 experts to Washington to address the problems of texting and using cell phones while on the road. The summit was inspired by the growing national alarm over the problems of inattentive driving, primarily the potentially deadly practice of text messaging while driving, a practice seen as common among young adults. The public is invited to view the summit online and to submit questions for the panelists. View the page for the distracted driving webcast. The DOT will issue a series of … [Read more...]
Automaker backs texting bans
September 12, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Automaker Ford has endorsed congressional plans to force states into banning text messaging while driving. The Ford Motor Co. said it believes hand-held texting "substantially increases the risk of accidents." It is the first U.S. automaker to weigh in on the texting ban issue. Ford's entry into the texting debate has no clear purpose, nor is it likely to make a significant impact on pending legislation. The endorsement does, however, provide some more ammo for lawmakers nationwide seeking to wipe out the dangerous practice. In any case, the Ford endorsement of congressional action has … [Read more...]
Recent Comments