LaHood reaffirms commitment to battling distracted driving

Washington – At an event marking the one-year anniversary of the formation of an organization to support victims of distracted driving, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood reaffirmed his commitment to putting an end to the “deadly epidemic.”

FocusDriven – Advocates for Cell-Free Driving, a nonprofit organization supported by the National Safety Council and dedicated to advocating for victims of distracted driving, also marked the anniversary of its formation by releasing an anti-distracted driving public service announcement that aims to put faces to the fatalities that occur on U.S. roadways. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 5,500 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2009.

LaHood announced new public education initiatives and explained the role businesses play in promoting safe driving behavior. In December, the Department of Transportation unveiled a video series, Faces of Distracted Driving, in an effort to educate the public about the dangers of cell phone use while driving.