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Front Page Talking Points

FOR THE WEEK OF APR 07, 2014

Safety campaign combats distracted driving with dramatic ad, new website and #justdrive tag

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1.gifSome areas are observing Distracted Driving Awareness Month now. Share a quote or fact if you find any coverage.

2.gifNow look for other news involving phones, social media or any electronic technology. Is it about something you've done or a device you have?

3.gifLastly, pick a transportation article of interest and tell why you chose it or something you learned.

The federal government this week launches an ad campaign aimed at distracted driving. "U Drive, U text, U pay" is the slogan at the end of a vivid commercial that shows a staged accident caused when a young driver runs a stop sign while checking her phone. The Department of Transportation also established a website – www.distraction.gov – as part of the safety push, which uses the hashtag #justdrive.

The government "puts distracted driving on par with our efforts to fight drunk driving or to encourage seatbelt use," says Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. Using a phone to text or calls is the most common risk – and something that’s illegal in many areas. Eating, drinking, fiddling with the radio or even talking to another person in the vehicle also can distract a driver dangerously.

In 2012, federal estimates show, 421,000 Americans were hurt in crashes involving a distracted driver and more than 3,300 people died. Those wrecks happen because people think they can do more behind the wheel than they should. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia ban text messaging for drivers of all ages, and 37 states and D.C. ban cell phone use by novice drivers.

Cabinet member says: "Texting and cell phone use behind the wheel significantly increases a driver's risk of crashing. Even a single, momentary distraction while driving can cause a lifetime of devastating consequences." – Anthony Foxx, secretary of transportation

Advice to teens: "Don't stop at being a great driver – be a great passenger! Make sure to call out your friends, and even your parents, if you see them using a cell phone behind the wheel." – From new federal website

The risk: Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded.

Front Page Talking Points is written by Alan Stamm for NIEonline.com, Copyright 2024

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Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.

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