News Center
July 7, 2009
Safe Roads Alliance Urges Ban On Texting While Driving
Partners with City of Boston to Raise Awareness of Dangerous Practice
BOSTON, MA - Safe Roads Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to driver safety, and the City of Boston have partnered to raise awareness of the dangers of Texting While Driving. A recent Car and Driver study found that when texting while driving, reaction times were even worse than someone who was driving drunk . The Stop Texting While Driving campaign officially launched with a rally at Boston's City Hall Plaza on Thursday, June 25, 2009.
"Sending a quick message seems like such a simple, harmless action, but recent studies are proving just how treacherous Texting While Driving can be," said Jeff Larson, president of Safe Roads Alliance. "Supporting legislation to ban this practice will keep all Massachusetts residents safer, and we are thrilled that Mayor Menino is taking a lead on banning this practice."
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas, Safety Insurance Claims Vice President Robert Kerton, Director of Highway Safety for the Executive Office of Public Safety Sheila Burgess, and Melissa Martin, whose daughter recently died while texting and driving, spoke at the rally to emphasize this important message.
"On the night of May 8, 2009, I personally observed the kind of damage and injury that is caused by a driver distracted by texting," said MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas, referring to a Green Line accident that was caused by a texting trolley operator. "That's why the MBTA has implemented the toughest cell phone policy of any transit agency in the country, and I want to thank Mayor Menino and Safe Roads Alliance for their determined efforts to make our streets safer for motorists and bus drivers alike."
Fourteen states have already passed legislation banning Texting While Driving.
"As we have seen too many times, Texting While Driving can have serious - even fatal - consequences," said George Murphy, vice president of marketing for Safety Insurance, which sponsored the rally. "Safety Insurance is proud to be a part of the campaign to alert drivers of the dangers of using handheld devices behind the wheel."
In Control Advanced Driver Training conducted a demonstration of how texting impairs driving. Participants were timed as they texted "hello" while walking across the plaza, stopping when they sent the text message. The distance walked was multiplied by 60 mph to determine how far they would have driven during the time it took to text one word. Nashua, NH-based GN Netcom donated 150 Bluetooth headsets to rally attendees as a reminder that a hands-free device is a safer alternative if a driver absolutely must use a cell phone.
"No parent should have to experience what I've been through," said Melissa Martin. "Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to capture the public's attention. My only hope is that other people will learn from this and understand the severity of their actions while behind the wheel."
The Stop Texting While Driving campaign will be communicated through ads on billboards throughout eastern Massachusetts and at bus stops around the City of Boston. To learn more about this campaign, please visit: www.SafeRoadsAlliance.org.
About Safe Roads Alliance
Safe Roads Alliance was formed in 2006 as a not-for-profit Massachusetts organization dedicated to promoting safer driving. Through its High School Outreach Program, Safe Roads offers free presentations to students and parent groups by professional drivers and others on emergency driving skills. Safe Roads also provides educational services to other groups on different aspects of driving safety, including: issues confronting elderly drivers, maintaining a vehicle for safe operation, child restraint systems, seat belt usage, reducing driving distractions, and driver courtesy and reduction of road-rage. Safe Roads is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization whose programs are made possible by the generosity of sponsors and donors. For more information about Safe Roads Alliance, please visit: www.SafeRoadsAlliance.org.
About Safety Insurance
Safety Insurance was founded in 1979 with a belief that it would succeed as a company if customers were given the best possible service. A leading provider of property and casualty insurance in Massachusetts, Safety Insurance is the second largest writer of private passenger automobile, and the third largest writer of commercial automobile insurance in Massachusetts. Safety Insurance offers a portfolio of other personal line insurance products, including, homeowners, dwelling fire, and personal umbrella. In addition, Safety Insurance also offers commercial lines insurance products including, business owner policies, commercial package policies, and commercial umbrellas. Sold exclusively through a network of professional independent agents, Safety Insurance provides agents with state-of-the-art tools that make it easy to service and protect their customers. Safety Insurance has consistently received an "A" rating from A.M. Best. Please visit our website at: http://www.SafetyInsurance.com.
For more information, contact:
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Sarah Gerrol, Director |
Jeff Larson, President |
