The topic of distracted driving has gone national. The Obama administration convened their second summit on distracted drivingyesterday in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the summit was to come up with additional ideas to make sure that, in this era of PDA’s, Smart Phones, and portable laptops, that drivers keep their eyes on the road. The summit brought together government leaders, safety advocates, family members of victims, and business groups. Their goal: to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving. Last year, nearly 5,500 people were killed in distracted driving crashes.
Currently, thirty states and the District of Columbia prohibit drivers from texting behind the wheel. Eight states, including California, prohibit the use of handheld cell phones while driving. Interestingly, as the problem of distracted driving gains more attention, automakers are putting more features in cars that could lead to distraction. New cars are increasingly making available technology that allows drivers to update their Facebookpage, surf the internet, or engage in other forms of entertainment while driving.
One of the goals of the summit is to encourage national legislation to prevent texting while driving. Legislation is currently pending to achieve this goal.