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National Safety Council Releases State of the Nation Report on Cell Phone Distracted Driving


national safety council

ITASCA, IL--April 13, 2012: The National Safety Council today released its State of the Nation 2012 report in conjunction with Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which addresses improvements made to combat cell phone use while driving. In the three years since NSC called for a nationwide ban, progress has been made in legislation and enforcement, corporate policy, public perception and technology. The report addresses these five key areas while emphasizing the need for further improvement.

“We are pleased to see the traffic safety landscape is shifting and cell phone use while driving is being addressed”

"We are pleased to see the traffic safety landscape is shifting and cell phone use while driving is being addressed," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of NSC. "However, much work still needs to be done, especially in educating the public on the dangers involving hands-free devices. In addition to education, a combination of laws and high-visibility enforcement campaigns will be necessary. We've seen this formula work well for impaired driving and safety belt use, and we are confident it will help with this epidemic as well."

In January 2009, NSC became the first national organization to call for a total ban of cell phone use -- hands-free and handheld. Cell phone distracted driving is a significant threat to public safety and has garnered the attention of elected officials, the media, technology providers, businesses and transportation safety agencies. On Dec. 13, 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board became the first government agency to recommend a total ban of portable electronic device use for all motorists while a vehicle is in motion, drawing more attention to the public health threat all motorists face on our roadways.

The full report can be found online at Distracted Driving.

About the National Safety Council

Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council (nsc.org) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where it can make the most impact -- distracted driving, teen driving, workplace safety and safety in homes and communities.