Although Michigan will qualify for grant money as part of federal funding geared toward squelching distracted driving this year, the state will not qualify next year due to the fact that their current laws do not contain specifics targeting teen driving. The current statute that took effect in July 2010 only bans texting, as opposed… read more

The Nebraska State Fair, which is set to take place up until Labor Day, features a driving simulator that will illustrate to vistors the dangers of distracted driving. The booth is being brought to visitors by the University of Nebraska-Kearney. The Nebraska Safety Center will also have safety information and a motorcycle display alongside the… read more

A new Ohio law is set to ban texting while driving. Starting at the end of August, this activity will be a secondary traffic offense in Ohio, meaning that a citation for texting can only be issued if the driver is pulled over for some other violation. Younger drivers are now prohibited from using any… read more

With kids headed back to school, the Simi Valley Police Department reminds drivers to obey traffic laws and be courteous to those they share the road with. In particular, drivers should avoid distractions such as using a cellphone or eating food behind the wheel. Drivers should watch for pedestrians and bicyclists and allow ample tme… read more

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia and police in that same area have begun to crack down on distracted driving. According to them, driving while operating a mobile electronic device is the third biggest contributor to fatal car crashes. Texting while driving makes it 23 times more likely to crash, whereas talking on the phone… read more

A new survey suggests that being in a car crash while texting or knowing someone who has are the first and second most effective ways to reduce the dangerous practice. Clearly these are not methods which could be utilized in the drive to keep teens safe on the road. The survey does provide a third… read more

The Meramec region of the state of Missouri is mobilizing a committee to investigate and educate people about the risks of driving while distracted and other dangerous driving habits. While the state as a whole has experienced fewer traffic accidents within the last year, the eight-county Meramec region reported an increase. Although cellphone use is… read more

In March, Pennsylvania’s anti-texting while driving law went into effect.  However, the number of citations issued by the Pennsylvania State Police for the offense is thus far very low.  As of the beginning of August, the number of citations issued by the organization was just 73, while the number of tickets issued by the Philadelphia… read more

In order to show the dangers of distracted driving, Allstate set up a Teen Safe Driving Challenge at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday. Teens were asked to drive through a closed course while driving instructors sent them texts to distract them. The teens were then given a post-driving evaluation to show their performance while… read more

DriveScribe is a free smart phone application that purportedly turns a smart phone from a distraction into a coach by providing motivation for safe driving and instilling a sense of competition among drivers. After every jaunt in a motor vehicle, the application calculates how well the driver performed, providing them with a score that provides… read more

Beaufort, South Carolina want to educate the public through an awareness campaign before banning texting while driving. The first vote on the potential ban will be August 28. Six cities in South Carolina have a ban already in place, but a statewide ban failed failed last month when the Senate voted against it. If passed… read more

AT & T has formed a program called “It Can Wait” which encourages drivers to put off texting until they are done driving. State and business leaders in Indianapolis are trying to dissuade drivers from engaging in this high-risk behavior and are partnering with AT&T in their efforts. TV ads will be used to show… read more