Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Fires Back Against Distracted Driving Campaign Critics

Last week, when Insurance Institute for Highway Safety president Adrian Lund doubled down on past criticism of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s anti-distracted driving campaign, I hoped LaHood would respond. On his Fastlane blog Tuesday, he did that and more, launching a spirited and well-researched attack against those who say state and national enforcement agencies shouldn’t do everything they can to crack down on the dangerous practice.

September 29, 2010 Andy Gillin

California Distracted Driving Rate Jumps Before Annual Summit

As elected leaders, transportation officials, and safety advocates converge in Washington DC today for the second annual distracted driving summit, the level of impact existing anti-distraction laws have had will be front and center. The numbers in California, the numbers are less-than-encouraging. Since the state’s cell phone ban went into effect in January 2009, the number of distracted drivers has actually increased, to 2.7 percent of drivers at any given time, according to the Automotive Club of Southern California.

September 21, 2010 Andy Gillin

Distracted Driving Targetted by AAA, Seventeen Magazine, & Ray LaHood

It’s a big week for raising awareness about the dangers of driving while distracted. On Friday, AAA and Seventeen Magazine teamed up with the Department of Transportation to urge teenagers to take two seconds to turn off their cell phones before getting behind the wheel. And tomorrow, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will host the second annual Distracted Driving Summit in Washington DC. LaHood has been a tireless advocate against distracted driving, and I hope this month’s events will contribute to the movement to make distracted driving as taboo as drunk driving and ignoring seat belts.

September 20, 2010 Andy Gillin

Does NHTSA Focus Too Much on Distracted Driving and Unintended Acceleration?

In an odd policy statement this week, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety criticized the government for focusing too much on distracted driving and unintended acceleration, and ignoring more important safety concerns. “The hypervisibility of these issues diverts attention from initiatives that have far greater potential to save lives,” said the group’s president Adrian Lund. “There’s nothing rational about the way we set highway safety priorities.”

August 27, 2010 Andy Gillin

NHTSA to Require Seat Belts on Commercial Passenger Busses

“Click it or Ticket,” is the threat that has prompted thousands more Americans to buckle up since the punitive campaign launched two years ago. Since more than 15,000 people not wearing seat belts are killed each year, it’s considered irresponsible not to strap in while zooming along the highway. But when it comes to large commercial vehicles, seat belts are considered less essential. This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a campaign that could save dozens of lives each year by requiring commercial bus passengers to ‘click it’ as well.

August 18, 2010 Andy Gillin

Secretary LaHood to Host Second Annual Distracted Driving Summit

It’s slowly becoming an undisputed reality that distracted driving is dangerous and state governments should ban the use of hand held devices behind the wheel. Calling for more research and deterrence, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will host the second annual distracted driving summit in Washington DC this September.

July 29, 2010 Andy Gillin

Wisconsin Joins Battle Against Distracted Driving

Last week, Wisconsin joined the 23 states in the battle to ban texting, typing, and talking while driving a car. “It is a situation in which technology moves beyond the laws of the state and this is a law that has us catch up with technology,” said Governor Jim Doyle when he signed the bill into law. The law will impose a fine of $20-$400 on drivers caught texting or emailing behind the wheel, a fine similar to California’s anti-distracted driving law. In the absence of a nationwide law, teens and insurance companies are starting to take the “epidemic” on firsthand.

May 12, 2010 Andy Gillin