DOT chief Roy LaHood says his war on distracted driving won't lead to a full ban on handheld electronics. "The problem is not hands-free," LaHood said at a DOT news conference Dec. 21. "That is not the big problem (with distracted drivers)." LaHood was publicly distancing himself from the National Transportation Safety Board's Dec. 13 call for a blanket ban on cell phones and similar portable electronic devices -- regardless of whether hands-free devices are utilized. To date, all distracted driving laws in the U.S. allow adults to use hands-free devices such as Bluetooth headsets. NTSB … [Read more...]
3,092 die in distraction crashes
December 8, 2011 by 2 Comments
The good news is good indeed: In 2010, U.S. traffic fatalities and injuries reached their lowest numbers since 1949. Another reason for optimism, it might seem: 3,092 people died in accidents connected with distracted driving, down significantly from 2009's 5,474 fatalities. But the bad news lurks in the detail, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its method of tracking distracted driving accidents. "All of our evidence suggests that the problem may actually be getting worse," says federal DOT chief Ray LaHood (pictured). The explanation: "We've narrowed the … [Read more...]
Distracted driving deaths fall 6 percent
September 21, 2010 by 1 Comment
Deaths related to distracted driving fell 6 percent in 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports. DOT chief Ray LaHood opened the second Distracted Driving Summit with the news that the roadway "epidemic" continues: "We have so much to discuss today because, last year, distraction-related crashes killed at least 5,500 people and injured more than 450,000 others." He said deaths associated with distracted driving accounted for 16 percent of all traffic fatalities last year, warning that the toll could be "the tip of the iceberg," due to inconsistent reporting. The DOT reported that … [Read more...]
Sequel to U.S. distracted driving summit
July 28, 2010 by 2 Comments
Citing a "powerful momentum" from last year's national summit on distracted driving, the Department of Transportation plans a sequel for Sept. 21. DOT chief Ray LaHood sent out the call to transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement, mobile phone and auto industry reps, safety researchers, and those whose lives have been shattered by distracted drivers. The event will be in Washington, D.C. LaHood, who has seen his personal brand soar with his campaigning on the distracted driving issue, says a new national summit is needed: "We've learned a lot in the past year, but there … [Read more...]
‘Oprah’ carries Michigan text bill signing
April 29, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Gov. Jennifer Granholm had been expected to sign Michigan lawmakers' ban on text messaging while driving. No one figured she'd be doing it on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Granholm signed the bill in downtown Detriot, during a rally shown live on the second live "Oprah" special dedicated to the dangers of distracted driving. "Thanks for your leadership," the governor said to the talk show host. The "Oprah" program also broadcast parts of no-cell-phone rallies in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C. Winfrey declared April 30 "National No Phone Zone Day," named after her distracted … [Read more...]
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