Distracted driving is the number

one cause of accidents for new drivers. Teen

drivers are inherently at a disadvantage due to

their lack of driving experience on the road.

I wrote the new law that bans texting while

driving – the most dangerous of all

distractions – when I served in the State

House.

Just Drive PA --- www.justdrivepa.org

AT&T Public Service Announcement and documentary “The Last Text”

www.att.com/itcanwait

Survival 101 teen safe driving program from BuckleUp PA

www.buckleuppa.org/educationalprograms For more teen driving resources, contact the Montgomery County Health Department,

610-278-5117 or publichealth@montcopa.org

Montgomery County

Health Department

1430 DeKalb St.

Norristown, PA 19404

610-278-5117

www.health.montcopa.org

in this issue >>>

National Distracted Driving Awareness Month Hello from Commissioner Shapiro

current topics >>>

April is National Distracted Driving

Awareness Month and the message

is simple, one text or call could wreck

it all. And teens are at an increased

risk. This newsletter is designed to

serve as a resource for parents, teens

and school personnel. Read on for

tips to prevent distracted driving.

Greetings Montgomery County! As spring approaches and the weather becomes

warmer, now is the best time for our county family to remind young people about the

dangers of distracted driving and texting while driving.

Resources for Schools

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

in the U.S. and as a county, we have also

adopted this awareness month.

As a county united, we can make a

difference. The Commissioner’s

office supports the Health

Department in their efforts to

spread this and other important

driving related messages to

residents of all ages.

This new law is a summary offense with a

$50 fine plus court costs and other fees. Law

enforcement in Montgomery County has

been cracking down on distracted

driving.

Follow Commissioner Shapiro on Twitter

@Josh_Shapiro, check out his Facebook

Page at facebook.com/JoshShapiroPA,

and email him at Josh@MontcoPA.org.

Please use this newsletter as a

guide to teen safe driving and as

always, buckle up, and drive safe. Keep

your eyes on the road.

Distracted Driving Newsletter

Montgomery County Health Department

National Public Health Week 2013

Current Topics Distractions Texting and Driving Parental Advice Ask the Experts School Resources Coming Soon

1 in 3 teens who text 1 in 3 teens who text

say they have done so say they have done so

while driving. while driving.

coming soon >>>

2014 Montgomery County Teen Safe Driving Competition

Any public or private high school is eligible to participate in the teen driving competition.

The competition is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association (PMTA) and scholarship prizes are awarded.

Students who are considered to be among the best drivers at their high school by teacher nomination compete in a county-wide competition.

The competition includes a series of written, perceptual and driving tests.

The best drivers move on to a regional competition and then statewide competition.

Any interested high school should contact the Montgomery County Health Department

610-278-5117 publichealth@montcopa.org

Commissioners: Joshua D. Shapiro, Chair

Leslie S. Richards, Vice Chair Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Commissioner

Printed and distributed by the Montgomery County Health Department

We understand the importance of

teaching teens to eliminate

distractions in the car and how to

be safe drivers on our county’s

roads. Parents, teachers and

school administrators are in the

best position to pass along this

important message and we thank

you for your dedication to keeping

teens safe.

TTEENEEN DDRIVINGRIVING ANDAND DDISTRACTIONSISTRACTIONS

National Public Health Week

ask the experts >>>

Is texting at a stop sign illegal?

Seat Belt Usage

All drivers and passengers under 18 year

old must wear a properly adjusted and

fastened seat belt. A driver who is under

18 years may not operate a vehicle in

which the number of passengers exceeds

the number of available seat belts.

There are three main types of distraction: 1. Visual -taking your

eyes off the road 2. Manual -taking your

hands off the wheel 3. Cognitive –taking

your mind off the wheel

Texting involves all

three types of distractions.

Source: BuckleUp PA

Protecting You While You’re on the Move

Safety on the go is often in our hands, but it’s also tied to community design. Together we can turn our streets into roads to better health.

For more information go to

www.nphw.org

distractions >>> What can you do for

Distracted Driving

Awareness Month?

Q:

Phase 1: Learner’s Permit

Six months of learning with an supervising

adult 21 years or older. 65 hours of adult

supervised driving, 10 hours must be a night

and 5 hours must be driven in bad weather.

Parent or guardian must sign off on hours.

Phase 2: Junior License

Restrictions apply to all drivers under the

age of 18 years old and include nighttime

driving restrictions and passenger

limitations. A junior license holder may not

be behind the wheel from 11pm to 5am

(exceptions can apply). The first six months

of the junior license, the driver may only

have one passenger under the age of 18

who is not an immediate family member.

After the first six months the limit is

increased to three passengers under the

age of 18 years. Other restrictions apply.

Phase 3: Unrestricted License

A full, unrestricted license is typically issued

at the age of 18, but a driver can receive this

type of license early if their driving record is

crash and conviction free for 12 months and

have completed an approved driver’s

education course.

For additional information, visit:

www.justdrivepa.org

Graduated Licenses

The PAVC Section 3316 (A) prohibits a driver from operating a motor vehicle while utilizing an interactive wireless communication device

(phone, computer, pda, etc.) to send, read, or write a text-based communication while the vehicle is in motion. Even though it is not a primary violation to text while stopped at a stop light or stop sign, it is still not a safe practice to do so. When you text, your mind is distracted and you are taking your eyes off of the roadway and off of your surroundings. Even those few seconds that you are not fully aware of what is happening on and off of the roadway could be disastrous. Best practice is to wait to use your communication device once you reach your destination or keep it turned off while operating a motor vehicle.

A:

What is a distraction?

Stop using cell phones while driving.

Inform people who call you while driving that you’d be happy to continue the conversation once you have reached your destination.

Share what you know about the dangers of cell phone use and driving.

Source: National Safety Council

Six steps you can take as a parent of a

teen driver... Establish ground rules. Set up

family rules about not texting or

talking on a handheld phone

while behind the wheel. Enforce

the limits set by the graduated

licensing program.

Sign a pledge. Have your teen

take action by agreeing to a

family contract about wearing

seat belts and not speeding,

driving after drinking or using a

cell phone behind the wheel.

Agree on penalties for violating

the pledge including paying for

tickets or loss of driving

privileges.

Educate yourself. Find out more

about this tragic problem. The

more you know, the more you will

understand the seriousness of

the issue.

Spread the word. Get involved in

educating and promoting safe

driving. Talk to friends, family and

co-workers.

parental advice >>>

Source: www.distraction.gov

Set a good example. Kids learn

from their parents. Put down

your phone while driving and

only use it when you’ve safely

pulled off the road.

Talk to your teen. Discuss the

risks and responsibilities of

driving and the danger of

dividing their attention

between a cell phone and the

road. Show them the statistics

related to distracted driving.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Montco Health Dept.

guess what i just found out...

texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 secs! so get back to driving!!!!

yeah, i know her

i have no idea

MCHD

4.6 seconds

At 55 mph that is like driving the distance of a football

field blindfolded.

Source: www.distraction.gov

texting while driving>>>

Trooper Morgan Crummy, Community Services Officer Pennsylvania State Police Troop K - Skippack