Traffic Payout

I want to applaud Oprah’s Dnt TXT N Drv Op-Ed piece in the New York Times, and commend her for drawing the public’s attention to this unsafe and increasingly common behavior. Distracted driving is now one of the most discussed public safety issues in America thanks to the Distracted Driving Summit hosted by the U.S. DOT and Secretary Ray LaHood last September. The issue has vaulted to the top of many legislative agendas and now 23 states and the District of Columbia have banned texted while driving with more states expected to follow in 2010. Though AAA Foundation research shows the public is aware of the dangers involved with using cell phones while driving, many continue to do so on a regular basis, risking their lives, and ours, every time they pick up their phone. This disconnect between behavior and knowledge is one that we as a society must try to overcome.