DriveCam Supports National Ban on Texting While Driving

SAN DIEGO--DriveCam Inc., a global Driver Risk Management (DRM) company, announced today it voiced support for legislation requiring states to pass laws banning text messaging while operating a moving vehicle. DriveCam also expressed support for the Distracted Driving Summit announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation where transportation leaders, members of Congress and safety groups will come together to reduce accidents and fatalities caused by distracted driving. DriveCam has been invited to participate in the Summit.

The bill (S. 1536) – Avoiding Life-Endangering and Reckless Texting by Drivers (ALERT Drivers) Act – was prompted in part by studies by Virginia Tech and the University of Utah, which found that drivers were much more likely to crash if texting while driving, according to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, one of four sponsors of the legislation. These studies found that texting was more distracting to drivers than using a hand-held cellular telephone or being intoxicated.

"DriveCam unequivocally supports the goals of this bill," said Brandon Nixon CEO of DriveCam. "With a database of 13.5 million risky driving events, we see what’s happening on our nation’s roads every day. Texting is on the rise, as are the number of incidents – and deaths – as a result of this selfish behavior. Road safety is of paramount importance in ensuring every American’s right to get from one place to another safely."

Currently, texting while driving is banned in the District of Columbia and 14 states, including Alaska, California, Minneapolis, New Jersey and Virginia. Maryland's ban takes effect Oct. 1. The New York legislature recently passed such a measure and sent it to the governor for signature. This federal bill would require other states to write laws prohibiting text messaging by drivers or risk losing 25 percent of their annual federal highway money. States would have two years to enact such laws.

About DriveCam Inc.

DriveCam is a global Driver Risk Management company that helps clients dramatically reduce claims costs and saves lives by improving the way people drive. By combining sight and sound, expert analysis and driver coaching, DriveCam has reduced vehicle damages, workers' compensation and personal injury costs by more than 50 percent in over 110,000 commercial and government vehicles. DriveCam has the world's largest database of more than 13 million actual risky driving behaviors, which the company uses to optimize its proprietary analytics and scoring. DriveCam has been included on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in the U.S. for three consecutive years. For more information, visit www.drivecam.com.