Distracted Driving Awareness Day

You and your agency can be a Distracted Driving Awareness Day partner! There are currently 92 partners (see below) and more are joining everyday!

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police is a partner in this effort and they encourage all law enforcement agencies to use this opportunity to educate citizens about the dangers of texting while driving. The prohibition against texting while driving (HB 1876) goes into effect July 1.

At this time, event posters and brochures are available and can be ordered by e-mailing Janet Brooking at DRIVE SMART Virginia with quantities and a mailing address. Posters have been shipped to every high school and state agency in Virginia, but you are welcome to order more if needed.

Virginia's official day of awareness is April 29, and we anticipate that Governor Kaine will once again issue a proclamation of the day. However, we don’t expect you to wait until April 29 to start getting the word out. Here are some ways that you can help raise awareness:

• Encourage people to make the pledge to not drive distracted on the DRIVE SMART website at www.drivesmartva.org.
• Use the information we will be sending you to create blast emails, newsletter articles, quizzes, or announcements that help raise awareness.
• Make sure that posters are placed in highly trafficked and visible areas.
• Send a press release out to your local community to show support.
• Organize a team of folks who will make a distracted driving presentation (with props!) to a local elementary or middle school.
• Schedule a distracted driving presentation at your location, using DRIVE SMART, DMV, or local law enforcement.
• Use this opportunity to begin a year-around campaign on traffic safety!

For more information, contact:

Janet Brooking
Executive Director
DRIVE SMART Virginia
804-929-6117
janet.drivesmart@verizon.net

Current partners:
(as of April 7, 2009)

AAA Mid-Atlantic

AAA Tidewater

Alexandria Fire Department

Allstate Insurance

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Colonial Virginia

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Greater Tidewater

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Northern Virginia

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Star Valley

Annandale High School

Appalachian Power

Atlee High School

Augusta County Service Authority

BikeWalk Virginia

Brunswick County Public Schools

CD Hylton High School

Centreville High School

City of Martinsville

City of Newport News

City of Portsmouth

City of Richmond

Claytor Lake State Park

CNA Insurance

Delta Airlines

DMV: The Virginia Highway Safety Office

Dominion High School

Douthat State Park

Drive Safe Hampton Roads

DRIVE SMART Virginia

DuPont

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Erie Insurance Group

Farmers Insurance Group

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

GEICO

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys

Hanover County High School

Heritage High School

Horizon Milling

Jacobs Engineering/Virginia

James Madison High School

James River State Park

Kellam High School

Kraft Foods

Liberty Mutual Insurance

Marion Senior High School

Mary D. Pretlow Anchor Branch Library

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Nationwide Insurance

Naval Safety Center

New River Trail State Park

Norfolk Public Schools

Northumberland High School

Old Dominion University

Piedmont Virginia Community College

Portsmouth Police Department

Potomac Falls High School

Powhatan County Public School

Progressive Insurance Group

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

Richmond Area Bicycle Association

Richmond City Fire and EMS

Richmond City Public Schools

Robert E. Lee High School

Rockingham Group

Shenandoah County Public Schools

Shenandoah's Pride Dairy

Stafford County

State Compensation Board

State Farm Insurance

Staunton River High School

TC Williams High School

The Frazier Quarry

Thomas Nelson Community College

Transportation Safety Training Center at VCU

USAA Educational Foundation

USS Carl Vinson

Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Virginia Automobile Dealers Association

Virginia Department of General Services

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development

Virginia Department of Transportation

Virginia Farm Bureau

Virginia Health Information, CODES

Virginia Megaprojects Information Center

Virginia State Police

VML Insurance Programs

Warren County High School

Warwick Plumbing and Heating

Western Albemarle High School

Woodbridge Senior High School

Youth of Virginia Speak Out