Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman’s history of distracted driving, highlighted most recently with a crash on Sunday, is a learning opportunity about the dangers of not paying attention while driving says We Save Lives, the national nonprofit focused on changing dangerous driving choices.
Media reports state that Sen. Fetterman has received two speeding tickets for violations of at least 24 miles per hour above the speed limit; he later was required to complete a driver’s improvement course. Former aides also say his habit of texting and using FaceTime while driving was worrisome. Police are still deciding if they’ll cite him for the most recent crash.
Candace Lightner, founder and president of We Save Lives, says, “Sen. Fetterman is right to say he’ll drive slower and ‘do better’ and we’re going to hold him accountable for his choices. Those who travel with him as passengers or know about his reckless driving have a choice as well — they need to show the Courage to Intervene by stopping him and others from using smartphones while driving.”
Lightner is publicly asking Sen. Fetterman to agree to “Text, email, or call from wherever you want, #BUTNOTWHILEDRIVING” with the online pledge form at https://wesavelives.org/butnotwhiledriving/.
Lightner says Sen. Fetterman can start to be a positive example as she and other advocates seek to transform the “100 Deadliest of Summer” into the “100 Safest Days of Summer.”
Experts say the 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day are when most teen driving fatalities and crashes occur. The initiative emphasizes the critical role parents play, as they are the number one influencer of their teens’ driving attitudes and behaviors. Data show that 60% of teen crashes today are caused by distracted driving.
Source: wesavelives.org
Featured Image Caption: Fetterman