NSC Starts 'On the Road, Off the Phone' Week
The council estimates 23 percent of all motor vehicle crashes, 1.3 million per year, involve a driver talking or texting on a cell phone.
The National Safety Council is observing "On the Road, Off the Phone" week June 26-30 as part of the annual National Safety Month and providing posters and tip sheets to help Americans understand why using any cell phone, whether hand-held or hands-free, is dangerous while driving.
The week is sponsored by FirstGroup America.
NSA also is launching a series of 12 video shorts that is available to NSC member organizations. It answers the most frequently asked questions around cell phone use while driving. The series will help organizations share with their employees "why cell phone-free driving is a necessity," the council says. Organizations interested in implementing a cell phone policy or strengthening an existing policy can take advantage of the free NSC Cell Phone Policy Kit.
The council estimates 23 percent of all motor vehicle crashes, 1.3 million per year, involve a driver talking or texting on a cell phone. It urges all drivers to:
- Turn off or silence their phones before driving.
- Record a voicemail greeting telling callers it is not safe to make or receive calls while driving and that they will return the calls when able to do so safely.
- Leave the road and park in a safe area if a call is urgent.
- Encourage family members and friends to stop using their phones while driving.
For more information about distracted driving, visit distracteddriving.nsc.org. NSC members also can participate in a free "Dangers of Distracted Driving" webinar on June 28.