(BOSTON 4/18/2024) – Early this week, the Massachusetts Senate approved a resolution praising the work of the National Safety Council (NSC) in preventing roadway deaths and recognizing the month of April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The resolution, introduced by Second Worcester District Senator Michael Moore, specifically identifies the high monetary and human cost of distracted driving, killing over 3,000 Americans every year and costing almost $500 billion annually in motor vehicle crashes.
“Every year, distracted driving injures and kills countless pedestrians, drivers, and passengers in every corner of America. It is so important to raise awareness about how dangerous it is to look away from the road to respond to a text, adjust the radio, or make a phone call, even if it’s for just a moment,” said Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury). “I’m thrilled that the National Safety Council is taking the lead to draw Americans’ attention to this issue during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and I’m proud to support them as they work to create safer roads for all users. Everyone deserves to get where they’re going safely – that text can wait.”
“NSC is thrilled with the Massachusetts Senate’s passage of a resolution recognizing Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” said Mark Chung, executive vice president of roadway practice at the National Safety Council. “Each year, distracted driving takes thousands of lives and leaves even more seriously injured on our country’s roads. By raising awareness of the serious threat this issue poses to all road users by observing Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we are one step closer to preventing crashes and saving lives, in the Commonwealth and beyond.”
Distracted Driving Awareness Month is annually recognized in April with the primary purpose of bringing attention to the increasing dangers drivers and pedestrians face on the roads. Nationally, roadway injuries and deaths have been on the rise for over a decade. While many think of distracted driving as texting or using a phone while behind the wheel, anything that draws your attention away from the road can be dangerous, including adjusting the vehicle’s climate control, eating, applying makeup, and more.
The National Safety Council is an organization with a mission to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death in America, with specific focuses on roadways and in the workplace. Learn more about the NSC on their website here.
The full resolution can be found online here.
###