WASHINGTON — Tom Wheeler, President & CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) today responded to a new study released by the National Safety Council on driver distractions.
"The wireless industry has long held that education is the key to addressing the issue of driver distraction," stated Wheeler. "Any activity a driver engages in, besides the task of driving, has the potential to distract. Therefore, we must remind drivers that their primary responsibility is to drive safely and we must educate them on how to recognize when it's appropriate to use a wireless phone, change a CD, or look at a map while driving."
According to a study from the California Highway Patrol, "Enacting more laws may not discourage some drivers from using their cellular telephones while driving, just as laws do not deter some drivers from speeding or engaging in other unsafe driving practices. Education should be a key component in any efforts to reduce the risk of traffic collisions resulting from cellular telephone use, and could prove to be more effective than sanctions."
This year, CTIA, in conjunction with the National Safety Council, produced public service announcements (PSAs) reminding drivers of their responsibility to the road and encouraging drivers who decide to use their phones behind the wheel to first ask themselves, "Is this the appropriate time to make a call?" And, "Will this call distract me from my first responsibility to drive safely?"