Faces of Distracted Driving online awareness campaign launched
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has launched Faces of Distracted Driving - an online video series exploring the tragic consequences of texting and cell phone use while driving.
The series, at www.distraction.gov/faces, features people from across the country who have been injured or lost loved ones in distracted driving crashes.
In 2009, nearly 5,500 people died and half a million were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver.
“These videos are dramatic evidence that the lives lost to America’s distracted driving epidemic aren’t statistics. They’re children, parents, neighbors, and friends,” said Secretary LaHood. “These people have courageously come forward to share their personal tragedies in order to warn others against making the dangerous decision to talk or text behind the wheel.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation is encouraging others who would like to share their experiences with distracted driving to post videos on YouTube and email the links to: [email protected].
Faces of Distracted Driving is part of Secretary LaHood’s effort to raise public awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to support victims. In January, LaHood joined anti-distracted driving advocate Jennifer Smith to announce the creation of FocusDriven, the first national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending distracted driving.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s campaign against distracted driving is a multi-modal effort that includes automobiles, trains, planes, and commercial vehicles.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a regulation banning text messaging while operating a commercial motor vehicle in September 2010.
A rulemaking proposed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in September 2010 would expand the texting ban to certain drivers carrying hazardous materials that are not covered by the FMCSA regulation.