I N T R O D U C T I O N

On November 25, 2008, 9-year-old Erica Forney was

riding her bike just steps from her home. A

neighbor, who was driving an SUV at 25 miles per

hour, looked down at her cell phone as she finished

a call and never saw the child in her path. Erica

was struck and thrown 15 feet, landing on her

neck. She died two days later on Thanksgiving Day.1

D O T: D i s t r a c t e d D r i v i n g

…WHAT IS “DISTRACTED DRIVING?”

PRESENTED BY:

…KEY FACTS AND STATISTICS

STEVEN ANDREWS

…FED. REG’S/TEXAS STATE LAW2

D I S T R A C T E D D R I V I N G• WHAT IS DISTRACTED DRIVING?

– any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary

task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander

safety. These types of distractions include:• Texting • Using a cell phone or smartphone • Eating and drinking • Talking to passengers • Grooming • Reading, including maps • Using a navigation system • Watching a video • Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player 3

KEY FACTS AND STATISTICS

2010 20113,220

3,240

3,260

3,280

3,300

3,320

3,340

2010-2011 FATALITY COMPARISON

3,267 3,331

2010 2011370,000

375,000

380,000

385,000

390,000

395,000

400,000

405,000

410,000

415,000

420,000

416,000

387,000

416000

387,000

2010-2011 INJURY COMPAR-ISON

416,000 387,0004

K E Y FA C T S A N D S TAT I S T I C S• June 2011: > 196 billion text messages were sent or received in the

US;↑ 50% from June 2009. Cellular Telecommunications and Internet

Association (CTIA) • 11% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were

reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted.

• Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI)

• Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, (VTTI) B L I N D.

• Headset cell phone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. (VTTI) 5

F E D E R A L R E G U L AT I O N S• U.S. DOT: regulatory campaign against distracted driving is a multi-

modal effort that includes: – automobiles, – trains, – aircraft, and – commercial vehicles

• On September 30, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order directing federal employees NOT to engage in text messaging :– While driving government-owned vehicles; – When using electronic equipment supplied by the government while

driving; or – While driving privately owned vehicles when they're on official government

business. • The order also encourages federal contractors and others doing

business with the government to adopt and enforce their own policies banning texting while DRIVING ON THE JOB. 6

F E D E R A L R E G U L AT I O N S• Commercial Drivers:

– September 2010: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting while driving in; November 2011, banned all hand-held cell phone use

• Drivers of Hazardous Materials:– February 2011: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

(PHMSA) banned texting on electronic devices by drivers operating a motor vehicle containing hazardous materials.

• Rail Employees:– The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) banned rail employees from using

cell phones or other electronic devices on the job following a September 2008 Metrolink crash in Chatsworth, California that killed 25 people.

• Pilots:– After a Northwest flight crew distracted by a laptop overshot their

destination by 150 miles, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised air carriers to create and enforce policies that limit distractions in the cockpit and keep pilots focused on transporting passengers safely.

7

T E X A S S TAT E L AW

• Ban on all cell phone (talking or texting) (handheld and Hands-free) for bus drivers (Primary law)

• Ban on all cell phone (talking or texting) (handheld and Hands-free) for novice drivers (Primary law)

• Texas has banned the use of hand-held phones and texting in school zones (Primary law)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=_krbxXawoAU&feature=fvwp 8

C O N C L U S I O N

Erica Forney was a vibrant and funny young girl with a bright

future ahead of her – a future that was cut tragically short

because of distracted driving. After seeing this presentation

and hopefully you’ll look up Erica Forney's story, you too will

remember to keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the

wheel, and your focus on driving. Distracted driving just isn't

worth it and it wasn’t worth Erica Forney’s life. If you choose

to text or take a phone call behind the wheel, you’re playing

Russian roulette with your life and other people’s lives on the

road. 9

D O T: D i s t r a c t e d D r i v i n g

…WHAT IS “DISTRACTED DRIVING?”

STEVEN ANDREWS

…KEY FACTS AND STATISTICS

RYAN HENNINGTON

…FED. REG’S/TEXAS STATE LAW10