Distracted Driving Summit

This morning, Ray LaHood, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, kicked-off a two-day Washington Summit to discuss the dangers of driving while distracted. Although U.S. motorists tend to eat lunch, chat to fellow passengers, rock-out to music, read newspapers, talk on the phone, apply make-up and attempt to do everything possible other than concentrate on driving, the current public enemy #1 is texting.

Although the government says nearly 6,000 people were killed and half-a million injured last year in vehicle crashes connected to driver distraction, they have not released statistics that attribute accidents directly to texting.  However, independent researchers have found that drivers who use their cell phones are at double the risk of driving with a 0.08 blood-alcohol level, the legal limit for drunk driving. And, as previously reported, a Virginia Tech study found that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision than non-texters.

The Summit is likely to herald a new wave of restrictions on using handheld devices while driving. Presently, 18 states plus the District of Columbia have specific bans on texting but Sen. Charles Schumer of New York and others introduced legislation in July that would require all states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 per cent of their annual federal highway funding.

Although it's unlikely that the government will sponsor public service announcements like the hard-hitting British video aimed at teens that we highlighted earlier this month, they are well aware of the positive impact that PSAs have had in reducing drunk driving and encouraging seat belt use.

Many civil libertarians have criticized the Summit as yet another intrusion by the federal government into areas that should be handled by the states and local law-enforcement agencies. However, many believe that modern technology is rapidly outpacing local legislatures when it comes to a problem that routinely crosses state lines and affects us all.

Of course, younger drivers and teens are at greatest risk. According to government statistics, the greatest proportion of distracted drivers are those age 20 and under. Thursday's Summit session includes a Youth Panel hosted by Seventeen editor, Ann Shoket, where young drivers will share their stories on exactly how much texting takes place as they sit behind the wheel. It's likely to be some of the scarier public feedback that Washington has heard in quite some time!

What are the rules in your home state and do you think they are doing enough to prevent accidents?

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