The National Safety Council has released a series of short videos, “Understanding Distracted Driving,” to address the most frequently asked questions about cell phone use while driving. The videos, featuring NSC Senior Director of Transportation Initiatives David Teater, are free to download (http://downloads.nsc.org/UnderstandingDistractedDrivingVideoSeries/) or are available to businesses and the public via YouTube. In short, two- to three-minute clips, Teater answers 12 questions, including why cell phones are a particularly dangerous distraction, and explains the science behind cognitive distraction. The videos also address how employers can protect their employees with workplace policies. Teater’s 12-year-old son Joe was killed in a motor vehicle collision in 2004. The driver who caused the crash was distracted by a cell phone. Prior to joining NSC, Teater’s 30-year business career included serving as CEO of a research and strategy firm that provided consulting services to most auto manufacturers. He is a frequent speaker on the topic of distracted driving, has testified before the U.S. Congress and has appeared before several state legislatures to advocate for restrictions on cell phone use while driving. “Cell phone use and driving are a dangerous, and oftentimes deadly, combination,” Teater said. “The resources NSC has developed explain why this behavior is so dangerous and provide solutions on how to go about changing behaviors to make our roadways safer.” The videos are part of a larger strategy developed by NSC to end cell phone distracted driving. NSC is helping U.S. organizations of all sizes implement and strengthen corporate cell phone policies, and has made available a cell phone policy kit, which is free on the NSC website. Additionally, “Understanding the Distracted Brain,” an NSC white paper, shares research about why a cell phone conversation causes such an intense mental distraction to drivers. In 2009, NSC was the first national organization to call for a total ban on cell phone use while driving. Since then, NSC has worked with the public, business leaders and elected officials to stop cell phone use behind the wheel, a dangerous behavior that contributes to thousands of deaths each year. The National Safety Council (nsc.org) saves lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the roads through leadership, research, education and advocacy. (Author/publisher)
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