texting and driving

Distracted Driving 411

What is Distracted Driving? Distracted driving is any action that takes a driver's attention away from driving. This includes talking on your phone, texting, eating, chatting with passengers in your car and/or adjusting your radio. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that "...any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction...

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Ohio Cracking Down on Distracted Driving

New legislation – the Hands-Free Ohio Bill – seeks to ban handheld electronic devices while driving. “Distracted driving hurts and kills innocent people. It devastates families,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, an ardent supporter of the bill. Under the proposed bill, motorists would be prohibited from activities like watching videos, taking pictures or videos,...

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None 4 Under 21 Focuses on Long-Term Consequences of Decisions

[caption id="attachment_3657" align="alignright" width="300"] Students viewed this terrifying mock crash scene as they entered None 4 Under 21.[/caption] Elk & Elk was the Presenting Sponsor of the 13th annual None 4 Under 21 and Choices Beyond Program, hosted by Portage County Safe Communities at Hiram College. Partner Marilena DiSilvio was the emcee of the afternoon,...

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Friends don’t let friends text and drive

By Arthur Elk Often, when we talk about peer pressure, it is in a negative light. But peer pressure can have a positive spin, too. In the battle to get teens to stop texting and driving, it appears that peer pressure may be the greatest weapon. According to a new national survey conducted by...

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Texting is deadly, even when it’s hands-free

By Arthur Elk In 2012, more than 6 billion texts were sent every day. Many of those were probably sent by people who were behind the wheel of a vehicle. That’s too many distracted drivers. In 2011, 3,331 people were killed and 387,000 injured in distracted-driving crashes. Most of us probably think that using...

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Keep your eyes on the road, not your phone: 3-year-old girl hurt by distracted driver

By Arthur Elk Did you know that you are 23 times more likely to be in an accident if you are texting and driving? The innocent victims of your reckless behavior could be anyone. Sadly this time, it was a 3-year-old girl. Last month, in a parking lot near a Kohl’s store in Strongsville,...

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Grant to help fund new anti-texting-and-driving measures

Earlier this year, Ohio joined the growing list of states with bans on texting and driving, yet many states are discovering how difficult it is to stop texting and driving and enforce the bans. A total of 38 states ban texting while driving, and many municipalities have their own texting and driving ordinance.  In...

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