MEDIA RELEASE

Leading the call for a cultural shift in how Americans view safe driving, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has challenged more than 250 safety experts, industry representatives, elected officials and members of the public to help put an end to distracted driving.  

LaHood’s call to action kicked off a two-day Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C. that will highlight the under-recognized dangers of distracted behavior behind the wheel. 

“Every single time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road – even for just a few seconds – they put their lives and the lives of others in danger,” LaHood said. “Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and in a split second, its consequences can be devastating.” 

LaHood announced research findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that show nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured.  On any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone. 

Across the board, federal researchers who have directly observed drivers of all ages found that more and more people are using a variety of hand-held devices while driving – not just cell phones, but also iPods, video games, Blackberrys and GPS systems.  

In particular, cell phone use for talking and texting is now more prevalent on the nation’s roads, rail systems and waterways, carrying a dangerous potential for accidents. 

Cell phones and texting are now the primary means of communication for many people, especially young adults. NHTSA’s research shows the worst offenders are the youngest drivers: men and women under 20 years of age.  

“We now know that the worst offenders are the youngest, least experienced drivers,” LaHood said. “Unfortunately though, the problem doesn’t end there. Distracted driving occurs across all age groups and all modes of transportation, from cars to buses and trucks to trains. We must work together to find solutions that will prevent crashes caused by driver distraction.” 

To further study how cell phone distraction affects commercial truck and motor coach drivers, LaHood announced a new study the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is undertaking. The study, which runs through June 2010, will help FMCSA better understand the prevalence of cell phone distraction in conjunction with crashes and near-crashes. 

Watch LaHood’s video blog on distracted driving or the Distracted Driving Summit live via Web cast at www.dot.gov.