Dover- April is national Distracted Driving Awareness month and from April 10 to 15, 2015. Delaware will join law enforcement across the nation to crack down on handheld cell phone use and/or texting by motorists using a combination of traditional and innovative strategies. This effort is a part of the national U Drive. U Text. U Pay high-visibility enforcement campaign that combines intense enforcement of anti-texting laws with advertising and media outreach to let people know about the enforcement and convince them to obey the law.

Delaware law enforcement will also expand their crack down on handheld cell phone use to April 23-27. Participating agencies include Camden PD, Delaware City PD, Dover PD, Georgetown PD, Middletown PD, Milford PD, Millsboro PD, New Castle County PD, Newark PD, Wilmington PD, Wyoming PD, and Delaware State Police. Delaware law enforcement have issued over 54,600 cell phone tickets since the law went into effect on January 2, 2011. Enforcement will be coupled with paid media ads and awareness activities.

Delaware’s handheld cellphone law bans texting while driving as well as bans the use of hand-held cell phones.  Drivers are required to utilize hands-free technology in order to use a cell phone while driving.   It also bans the use of pagers, blackberry’s, PDA’s, laptops, games, or the use of any other electronic device by someone while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe place to use your cell phone or use a hands free device like a blue tooth.

If a police officer observes you using a handheld device while driving they can pull you over and give you a ticket. The fine and fees for a first offense cell phone violation is $106. If you get caught again penalties increase and can go up to $300.

The trauma department at Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children will be offering a free distracted driving event on April 1^st from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Visitors can see the consequences of distracted driving first hand when they try to navigate the distracted driving simulator. Individuals can also take the pledge to not drive distracted and receive a free gift. Visitors will also have the opportunity to hear from a local family about how a distracted driver took the life of their daughter just before her upcoming wedding.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a report looking at crash data involving thousands of teen drivers. The report finds that distracted driving contributes to 58% of teen driver vehicle crashes nationally and shows that distracted driving is more than just texting. It also highlights the importance of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws and passenger restrictions for young drivers.

According to a 2014 special article in the New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of a crash or near-crash among novice drivers increased with the performance of many secondary tasks, including texting and dialing cell phones.

The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute’s 2012 “Teen Driver Distraction Study” reports that a quarter of teens respond to a text message once or more every time they drive, and 20 percent of teens and 10 percent of parents admit that they have extended, multi-message text conversations while driving.

“Texting and driving requires motorists to take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off the task of driving. It greatly enhances the likelihood of crashing and puts everyone on the road at risk,” said Jana Simpler, director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

The successes of the Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaigns have proven that the combination of tough laws, targeted advertising, and high-visibility enforcement can change people’s risky traffic safety behaviors. This strategy was implemented as part of the Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other distraction demonstration effort in Hartford, Connecticut, and Syracuse, New York, in 2010 and 2011, and then in Delaware and Sacramento County in 2012 and 2013. In both projects, texting (and cell phone use) declined dramatically. Based on these encouraging results, the U.S. Department of Transportation developed the U Drive. U Text. U Pay national campaign.

For more information, please visit www.distraction.gov, http://www.ohs.delaware.gov/distracted.shtml, http://www.dmv.de.gov/services/driver_services/teen/index.shtml, www.teendriving.aaa.com/DE/.

One day enforcement blitz April 11^th

Dover- Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and Delaware law enforcement agencies are once again asking motorists to show how much they care about their loved ones by putting the phone down while driving.  Law enforcement will be ticketing those who don’t follow the law during a statewide one-day enforcement blitz on April 11^th as part of the U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign running nationwide from April 10-15.

Distracted driving consists of any non-driving activity that has the potential to distract the driver from the primary task: driving.   In 2013, Delaware saw 149 cell phone related crashes and law enforcement issued over 19,500 cell phone citations.

Delaware’s cell phone law bans texting while driving.  Drivers are also required to utilize hands-free technology in order to use a cell phone to talk while driving.   It also bans the use of pagers, blackberry’s, PDA’s, laptops, games, or the use of any other electronic device while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe place to use your cell phone or use a hands free device such as a blue tooth.

Delaware’s cell phone law is a primary offense. If a police officer observes you using a handheld device while driving they can stop you for the violation and cite you $50 for your first offense ($106 total with fees).  If you get caught again penalties can increase to $300.  Violations do not incur points on your driver’s license. Since 2011, when the law went into effect, there have been over 35,000 cell phone citations issued statewide.

Get the facts:

• 20-24 yr olds are the most over-represented in cell phone related crashes, with 25-29 yr olds second, and 19 yrs and under a very close 3rd. Of those crashes, 55% are caused by a person under the age of 30.

• Males account for 55% of crashes and females 45%.

• 62% of cell phone related crashes have occurred in New Castle County.

• 22% have occurred in Sussex County, and 16% have occurred in Kent County.

• Friday trends much higher than other days for cell phone related crashes.

• Cell phone crashes normally increase in rate around lunch time and between 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. when bars close.

For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/delaware or ohs.delaware.gov/cellphone.

UPDATE-

Due to forecasted inclement weather, the distracted driving enforcement scheduled on 2/14/14, HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED.  The enforcement has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 18^th.

One day enforcement blitz February 14th

Dover– Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and Delaware law enforcement agencies are asking motorists to show how much they care about their loved ones this Valentine’s Day by putting the phone down while driving.  Law enforcement will be ticketing those who don’t put the phone down during a statewide one day enforcement blitz on February 14th.  An additional one day enforcement blitz will occur April 11th.

Distracted driving consists of any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine followed 109 experienced adult drivers and 42 novice teen drivers in Virginia and Washington D.C. for 27 months. Both novice and experienced drivers spent 10% of the time distracted by another activity while behind the wheel which resulted in 685 crashes and near crashes.

In 2013, Delaware saw 149 cell phone related crashes, which is 8 more than in 2012.

Delaware cell phone law bans texting while driving.  Drivers are also required to utilize hands-free technology in order to use a cell phone to talk while driving.   It also bans the use of pagers, blackberry’s, PDA’s, laptops, games, or the use of any other electronic device by someone while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe place to use your cell phone or use a hands free device like a blue tooth.

Delaware’s cell phone law is a primary offense. If a police officer observes you using a handheld device while driving they can pull you over for the violation and cite you with a $50 fine for your first offense ($106 with fees).  If you get caught again penalties increase and can go up to $300.  Violations do not incur points on your driver’s license. Since the law went into effect in 2011 there have been over 35,000 cell phone citations issued statewide.

Get the facts:

• 20-24 yr olds lead in cell phone related crashes, with 25-29 yr olds second, and 19 yrs and under a very close 3rd. Of those crashes, 55% are caused by a person under the age of 30.

• Males account for 55% of crashes and females 45%.

• 62% of cell phone related crashes have occurred in New Castle County. 22% have occurred in Sussex County, and 16% have occurred in Kent County.

• Friday trends much higher than other days for cell phone related crashes.

• Cell phone crashes normally increase in rate around lunch time and between 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. when bars close.

• For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/delaware or ohs.delaware.gov/cellphone.

One day enforcement blitz November 15th

Dover- Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) and Delaware law enforcement agencies will once again be cracking down on cell phone use behind the wheel with a statewide one day enforcement blitz on November 15^th.  This enforcement is a follow up to the Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other. campaign that took place earlier this year.

“We will continue to enforce Delaware’s cell phone law with one day enforcement blitzes to remind motorists that not only is it illegal to use an electronic device while driving it is also distracting and very dangerous,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.

Distracted driving consists of any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) says you are three times more likely to be involved in a crash by engaging in visual-manual subtasks (such as reaching for a phone, dialing and texting) associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found nationwide that 11% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash.  And for drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes, 21% of the distracted drivers were using cell phones.

Additional one day enforcement blitzes will continue next year in February and April .  Enforcement will be accompanied by paid media including a heavy saturation of radio ads.

The Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other. campaign that ran in November 2012 and April & June 2013, resulted in a total of 5,757 cell phone citations.   To date there have been 14,712 cell phone citations issued in 2013.

Delaware cell phone law bans texting while driving as well as bans the use of hand-held cell phones.  Drivers are required to utilize hands-free technology in order to use a cell phone while driving.   It also bans the use of pagers, blackberry’s, PDA’s, laptops, games, or the use of any other electronic device by someone while driving. If you have to make a call, pull over to a safe place to use your cell phone or use a hands free device like a blue tooth.

If a police officer observes you using a handheld device while driving they can pull you over and give you a $106 fine for your first offense.  If you get caught again penalties increase and can go up to $300.  Violations do not incur points on your driver’s license.

For more information on distracted driving, please visit www.distraction.gov/delaware or ohs.delaware.gov/cellphone.

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Fans will be able to “drive” texting-while-driving simulator at ‘Route 1 Rivalry Game’

Newark, DE (September 5, 2013) — AT&T and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety are teaming up to discourage texting while driving in the First State as part of the nationwide It Can Wait movement.

Fans who attend the Saturday, September 7, 2013, “Route 1 Rivalry” game between the University of Delaware and Delaware State University will have a chance to “drive” a special simulator that demonstrates the deadly consequences of texting while driving.  The simulator will be set up in the Fan Zone at Delaware Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Fans will be able to “drive” a specially outfitted texting-while-driving simulator, exposing them to the dangers of texting while driving. Through a head-mounted display, drivers will see a fully-rendered virtual reality. The software is able to recreate real-life driving scenarios including pedestrians crossing the street, red lights, and cars changing lanes on the road. At the conclusion of each simulation, fans will be able to view a scorecard showing their performance, further emphasizing the dangers of texting and driving.

“Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s the equivalent of driving the length of the entire football field at Delaware Stadium, blindfolded,” said J. Michael Schweder, president, AT&T Mid Atlantic. “Texting while driving is deadly. That’s why we are pleased join Gov. Markell’s team at the Delaware Office of Highway Safety to drive home the message that texting can wait.”

“We are proud to collaborate with AT&T to kick off the It Can Wait campaign in the First State,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.  “The AT&T simulator demonstrates why handheld phone use while driving is not only dangerous but also against the law in Delaware.”

Schweder also announced that AT&T also has joined three other national wireless service providers in spearheading the It Can Wait campaign to urge people to share their commitment to never text and drive with others on Drive 4 Pledges Day, September 19.

Individuals can now sign up at ItCanWait.com to get resources that will help them share their commitment on social media and personalize the movement on the streets of their communities on key activation days.  Aspiring to create a social stigma around this dangerous habit of texting while driving, Drive 4 Pledges Day will focus on getting individuals involved in taking the pledge to never text and drive while encouraging others in their community to do the same. These individuals will join AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile US, Inc., Verizon and more than 200 other organizations by sharing their commitment not to text and drive while increasing awareness of the dangers.

On September 19, Drive 4 Pledges Day, supporters of the movement will be called upon to help spread the word to their families, friends and communities.  Advocates will be encouraged to do things like change their social profile photos and banner to It Can Wait graphics, and share their personal pledge stories using the hashtag #ItCanWait.  Offline activations will include hosting pledge drives and distributing posters in their schools, workplaces and neighborhoods.  All materials such as social graphics and posters will be available for download from ItCanWait.com.

Individuals joining in Drive 4 Pledges Day will be part of a variety of activations and awareness campaigns coast-to-coast, including:

• Nearly 2,000 Drive 4 Pledges activities will be held in communities across the nation, including more than 1,500 at high schools. Additionally, 200+ proclamations will be issued.

• #ItCanWait tweets and Instagram posts will stream on ItCanWait.com.

• A National Organizations for Youth Safety Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summit in Washington D.C. will be held Sept. 18-20, including a rally on Sept. 19 with over 75 teens, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, NTSB Member Christopher Hart and Aly Raisman, The Century Council Ambassador.

• AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon will run co-branded advertising on national TV programming, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and display the message in their tens of thousands of stores nationwide.

• GE Healthcare will provide its US Service vehicle fleets with It Can Wait window clings to remind its employees to be safe while on the roads.

• Goodyear blimps will display the message It Can Wait in the skies over Miami and Los Angeles.

• The It Can Wait message will be promoted across key sporting events at games and via social media. Several Major League Baseball teams will drum up support for It Can Wait by reaching out to fans during games urging them to take the pledge. Participating clubs include the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and the Washington Nationals. NFL players will tweet their support of Drive 4 Pledges Day with their friends and fans and teams such as the Carolina Panthers will rally around the cause as well. NHL and NBA teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs will also be supporting the cause.

• Third party organizations will support the day through various activations. The Consumer Electronics Association will hold an employee and membership pledge drive and distribute messaging through social media. The National Auto Body Council will distribute messaging through social media, enewsletters, and press releases. Member collision shops will hold mini pledge drives in local communities. Net Impact, a nonprofit that empowers a new generation of leaders to work for a sustainable future, will promote the pledge as a “small step” in their Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge program at colleges around the world.

• Youth organizations like the Girl Scouts will participate. Girl Scouts of the USA will activate its 112 councils nationwide to support It Can Wait through social media and member engagement.

“Texting while driving claims too many lives, and raising awareness of this completely preventable tragedy is key to saving them,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.  “We’ve seen success before through our seatbelts and our drunk driving campaigns, and I both applaud the It Can Wait campaign for its efforts to raise awareness and encourage everyone to make a commitment on Drive 4 Pledges Day to drive focused and distraction-free.”

In fact, a ConnectSafely.org¹ survey found that individuals who speak up can have a profound impact, particularly on teens.

• 78% of teen drivers say they’re likely not to text and drive if friends tell them it’s wrong or stupid.

• 90% say they’d stop if a friend in the car asked them to.

• 93% would stop if a parent in the car asked them to.

• 44% say that they would be thankful if a passenger complained about their texting while driving.

The It Can Wait movement is making a difference. One-in-three people who’ve seen the texting while driving message say they’ve changed their driving habits², the campaign has inspired more than 2.5 million pledges never to text and drive and the recently launched “From One Second To The Next” documentary has received more than 2 million views since Aug. 8. To take the pledge and get more information, visit www.ItCanWait.com.

 ¹ ConnectSafely.org survey sponsored by AT&T

² AT&T Texting While Driving … It Can Wait Perceptions Study