Barbara Greene - Comments

Thank you for being a part of the Distracted Driving Summit and allowing citizens/organizations to submit comments and questions. Have you taken 5 minutes to search Twitter for the following search terms? "Tweet and Drive", "Tweeting and Driving", "Text and Drive", "Texting and Driving" If you aren't 100% convinced there is a problem with texting and driving in the USA after searching the above terms on Twitter you will want to do everything in your power to finding fast solutions. Running @DontTwive (Don't Tweet and Drive) has given me an opportunity to directly reach those who tweet/text and drive. Texting and driving is already at epidemic levels, and so many people are addicted. Many of my followers want to stop, but claim they can't. (iPhone/Blackberry Apps are a growing trend behind the wheel as well.) There is good news too. While there are many frightening and brutally honest tweets sent out over Twitter each day saying “I’m tweeting and driving, LOL!” or worse. There are also tweets from more cautious people encouraging followers not to tweet & drive. The social pressure has already started. Our nation is beginning to understand using a cell phone while driving is dangerous, so let’s keep the momentum rolling. The Summit is a good start, but must be followed through by laws with impacting penalties, a nationwide PSA campaign, social pressure, employers implementing distracted driving bans, solid enforcement of laws, auto manufacturers working with cell phone manufacturers as well as third party software suppliers to limit the distractions drivers face behind the wheel. As Ray LaHood said, “With technology comes great responsibility.” Our cell phone technology has boomed and now we as a country are tasked with the responsibility of making our roads safe. We need to do everything in our power to find fast solutions. Thank you for being a part of the solution! #TweetSafe…pass it on, Barbara Greene www.Twitter.com/DontTwive