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I’m in Denver, Colorado attending the Lifesavers 2013 conference. It’s the largest gathering of highway safety professionals in the US. So why am I here? Because Toyota, one of the conference sponsors, thought my readers, along with the readers of 10 other bloggers from around the US, would like to hear firsthand what’s going on in our cities, towns, and across the nation in regards to child safety, distracted driving, driving under the influence, and other timely topics.
Lifesavers 2013 Conference
Toyota gave us each a conference pass and allowed us to put together our own path. Today I chose to learn more about designer drugs and their impact on everyone as well as spend some time listening to people whose lives were changed in an instant because of the poor choice someone else made – to use a cell phone while driving, to drink and drive, or to be under the influence of drugs while driving. What struck me was how very normal these people are. They are our neighbors, our friends, and the people from church but in one instant they became part of the statistic of car crashes on our highways and roads. A moment that has defined their life ever since.
As the wife of a fire fighter for 30 years I thought I knew the impact on the first responders. These sessions are helping me understand my husband’s world a little bit better as well as that of the police officers in the field and honestly, I don’t know how they do it. What they face every day is incredible. I just want to thank them all.
I’ll be sharing so many other safety-related items over the next few days while I’m here at the conference and over the next few weeks. I can’t tell you want an impact being here has made on me. I’ve always been on the cautions side, but I can tell you, after today, I’ll never, ever, talk on my cellphone while driving; even hands-free. Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe. Studies prove it (I’ll share those too).
For now, follow the hashtag #ToyotaSafety on Twitter or follow me on Facebook.
Special thanks to Toyota for being so helpful in making this about the process and not the brand. I’m so impressed with their commitment to safety. They truly believe in their slogan that everyone deserves to be safe.
Related articles
- NJ Officials Call For Drivers To Put Down The Phone During “Distracted Driving Awareness” Month (njtoday.net)
- Halton police want you to keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road (insidehalton.com)
- Distracted Driving Awareness Month (gloucestercitynews.net)
- Drive It Home: Teen Safety Behind the Wheel (adailypinch.com)
- Court: Using Phone Maps is Distracted Driving (ktla.com)
- Quote of the Day: “Distracted driving is a serious and deadly epidemic on America’s roadways.” (stiel.org)
- Father uses daughter’s story to tell dangers of distracted driving (pennlive.com)
I drive a Toyota and this article makes me proud. I am glad Toyota is giving back to society responsibly in these manners.
I am glad Toyota did sponsor this program. It is such an important topic especially for the younger crowd to learn how to drive responsibly and not be distracted and especially not to drink or take any drugs and then drive. It is so horrible to hear about the accidents due to this.
I am 21, and I constantly see people my age holding up their cell phones as they drive down the road. and it drive me nuts! I take care of two special needs kids, and one of my biggest duties of my job is keeping them safe. It really bothers me when I see young drivers being so careless about driving. They say that the reaction time of someone messing around on their cell phone is about the same or worse of a drunk driver. It is very upsetting, and the only thing I can do at that point isw try me best to get away from the person who is doing this before they end up hurting us. I am glad that you got to go to a conference that was about such an important issue – and I am glad to hear that the project in general was the main focus instead of the brand. I hope you had a lot of fun there!
Sammii,
I thought I new everything about Distracted Driving. I don’t. I learned so much great information that I now will NEVER use my cellphone in the car, not even hands-free is safe.
Thanks for all you do for those two kids.
Connie
I think this is something that should be brought into the schools so that everyone gets this information. people today are just rude and need to understand how their carelessness can effect others.
I think that the Conference is much needed, and it is so sad that people still think that they can text or talk on a cell phone when they drive. Even with laws against it, they still continue to do this terrible and dangerous behavior. I look forward to your posts on this. I will check out your posts on this.
I never really thought about it from the viewpoint of the first responders before, but it is true, they do needed to all be commended. Having to face tragedies like that day after day, and see unimaginable things has to pay a toll on them physically and mentally. I am looking forward to hearing more of what you have learned from this conference!
Thanks Sherri! I hope you’ll follow the hashtag and yes, I called my husband last night and thanked him for his service. 🙂