Media advisory: ODOT explains distracted driving law, invites public to #DriveHealthy

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 09/25/2017 03:27 PM PDT

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For more information: Carroll Cottingham, ODOT Distracted Driving Project Coordinator, Carroll.J.Cottingham@odot.state.or.us, 503-986-3998, (cell) 503-302-4524

 

Media advisory: ODOT explains distracted driving law, invites public to #DriveHealthy

 

WHEN 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 29

 

WHERE Capitol Mall, Salem

 

WHY To encourage Oregon drivers to help stop the epidemic of distracted driving; to explain changes to the Oregon distracted driving law

 

WHO ODOT; Oregon State Police; Marion County Sheriff’s Dep’t.; St. Rep. Andy Olson; St. Sen. Peter Courtney; AT&T

 

WHAT AT&T distracted driving simulator

 

Statistics

  • On average, a crash involving a distracted driver occurs every 2.5 hours in Oregon, according to ODOT crash data from 2011 through 2015.
  • On average, more than 8 people are killed and 1,161 more are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver each day in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Distracted driving law

Next Sunday, Oct. 1, changes to Oregon’s distracted driving law (HB 2597) take effect. The 2017 Legislature amended the statute to rule out holding a mobile device while driving; touch-swiping a mounted device is allowed.

 

#DriveHealthy campaign and game

ODOT launched DriveHealthy, a new distracted driving campaign, Sept. 1. It ‘gamifies’ the issue of distracted driving, providing incentives to help drivers focus on the one and only task when you’re behind the wheel: Driving.

 

Groups or individuals can sign up at DriveHealthy.org to compete with other groups to determine see who is Oregon’s safest driver every month.

 

Drivers install the LifeSaver app and participate as driving members of a group. After you download the app, you pick the organization you’re a part of. The app scores you based on whether you unlock your phone while driving. Less unlocking means a higher score. Scores are posted on DriveHealthy.org, and reset each month. You’ll be able to see who the safest drivers are, and also how your behavior has changed.

 

Groups can be anything: a group from a school, community group, church, a family or even a whole town. Visit the website for more information.

 

MEDIA