DOT Pushes on Distracted Driving

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released a Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving. The document offers a strategy to address the growing practice of using handheld phones behind the wheel and the risks posed by distracted driving.

The DOT plan:

• Encourages the 11 states without distracted driving laws to enact and enforce them
• Challenges the auto industry to adopt new and future guidelines for technology to reduce the potential for distractions on devices built or brought into vehicles
• Partners with driver education professionals to incorporate new curriculum materials to educate novice drivers about driver distraction and its consequences

The DOT also announced $2.4 million in federal support to expand the pilot enforcement campaign known as Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other. The funds will be used to assess the effect of increased law enforcement and public education on distracted driving in Delaware and California.

Download a copy of the Blueprint document .