Friday, February 10, 2012

Administration Targets Texting While Driving

October 1, 2009

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood pledged an administration-wide effort to combat the growing problem of texting-while-driving on Thursday, noting that President Obama had signed a same-day executive order directing federal employees not to engage in the practice while driving government vehicles or private vehicles on government business. He also outlined a department-wide effort to restrict the use of cell phones and electronic devices by rail, truck, interstate and school bus drivers, according to Fox News Channel.

Speaking at a national distracted driving summit, LaHood said "every time you take your eyes off the road or talk on the phone while you're driving -- even just for a few seconds -- you put your life in danger." LaHood citied National Transportation Safety Board research showing nearly 6,000 people died in crashes in 2008 that involved distracted or inattentive drivers. On any given day last year 800,000 vehicles had someone using a hand-held device at the wheel, the study showed.

Other speakers at the two-day conference included Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who urged the administration and auto and phone industry associations to endorse a bill he introduced in July that asks states to ban texting while driving or risk losing a quarter of their annual federal highway funding. He said texting is more dangerous than drunk driving. Read more about the conference here.

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Juliana Gruenwald

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Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


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Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.