Texting, talking, eating –we’re all guilty of some sort of driver distraction. But what we might not realize is the deadly consequences our bad driving habits can have. Distracted driving is the leading cause of traffic crashes in Missouri. In 2008 alone, cell phone use was attributed as the cause of 1,788 Missouri traffic crashes.
Last year Missouri made a small step in curbing some of that distracted driving by passing a law prohibiting drivers 21 and under from texting. Five bills have already been filed this year in the Missouri legislature that would expand the texting ban to all drivers.
Yesterday Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood unveiled the first survivor-powered national organization dedicated to putting an end to distracted driving. The group, FocusDriven, grew out of last year’s distracted driving summit sponsored by the US Department of Transportation in Washington. Secretary LaHood also unveiled the 30-second public service announcement below.
Missouri will be launching its own anti-texting while driving campaign next month with new radio spots to raise awareness of the consequences of texting while driving. Those texting spots can be previewed here.
Avoid distractions while driving. Keep your eyes on the road and Arrive Alive.
