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TO EDUCATION, FAMILY, AND HEALTH EDITORS:
Redesigned "Decide to Drive" Website Lets You Anonymously Tell
Friends, Family That They are Driving Distracted
ROSEMONT, Ill., April 21, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new
resource is now at your fingertips when battling distracted driving.
The newly redesigned DecidetoDrive.org website allows you to
anonymously send safe driving tips?the "Wreckless Checklist"?to the
distracted drivers in your life giving them a "heads up" about their
dangerous driving habits. You provide an email address and "Decide to
Drive," the award-winning distracted driving prevention program
sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and
the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (Auto Alliance) will send out
safe driving tips to that person.
The colorful and engaging DecidetoDrive.org website allows visitors to
more actively advocate for safe driving in their communities by:
-- Sharing and rating distracted driving stories.
-- Contributing to the social media discussion on distracted driving
through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
-- Participating in contests and events.
-- Accessing videos and other "Decide to Drive" materials, such as
computer or mobile device wallpaper, public service announcements,
educational components, and distracted driving facts and statistics.
"The new website provides visitors with more reasons and reminders to
stay focused on the road, and the tools to encourage their friends and
family members to do so as well," said AAOS President Frederick M.
Azar, MD. "It's a place where the conversation can start, and
hopefully will continue in communities throughout the U.S."
Each year, approximately 421,000 Americans are injured in distracted
driving-related crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were an estimated 3,328
fatalities in distracted driving-related crashes in 2012. The results
of an AAOS-Harris Interactive survey found that 94 percent of drivers
believe that distracted driving is a problem in the U.S., and 89
percent within their own communities.
Since 2009, orthopaedic surgeons and automakers have urged drivers to
"Decide to Drive" behind the wheel by avoiding texting, eating,
talking on a hand-held phone, applying make-up and other distractions
while driving. In addition to DecidetoDrive.org, the awareness and
prevention campaign includes print, television and radio public
service advertisements; elementary school and high school educational
curriculums; and active social media outreach.
Also featured on the newly redesigned website are the finalists and
winning entries in the "Decide to Drive" national student distracted
driving magazine contest.
Last September, "Decide to Drive" launched "Decide to Drive: A Student
Advocacy Program," a high school distracted driving curriculum.
Through the curriculum-sent to approximately 200,000 high school
teachers nationwide-students assessed, observed and recorded
distracted driving in their own communities; role played how to start
a conversation with a driver about their distracted driving behaviors;
researched local laws and distracted driving incidences; and examined
and used national statistics on distracted driving. The program
culminated with a magazine contest, open to students grades 9 through
12, in the U.S. The contest offered a tablet computer of choice for
the teachers of the winning entries; and first, second and third place
cash prizes (up to $4,000, $2,000 and $1,000 for each winning team,
respectively).
Nearly 400 teams from across the country, comprised of more than 1,200
students, submitted magazine entries. Three winning entries were
selected from 26 finalists: in first place, a team from Kamehameha
High School in Pukalani, Hawaii; and in second and third place, two
teams from Centennial High School in Peoria, Ariz.
"We applaud the winning student teams for their outstanding advocacy
efforts on behalf of safe driving," said Dr. Azar. "Their efforts and
willingness to take on the challenge of distracted driving in their
schools and communities are commendable."
"We want to build on that sentiment," added Wade Newton, director of
communications at the Auto Alliance. "If people already know this is a
concern, empowering them to say something when they need to is
especially important. We want people to act on their instincts: safe
driving means eyes on the road and hands on the wheel and putting
other distractions aside."
Decide to Drive Auto Alliance About AAOS Follow us
on Facebook.com/AAOS1 and Twitter.com/AAOS1 For more information on
bone and joint health, visit orthoinfo.org
SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
-0- 04/21/2014
/CONTACT: Kayee Ip (847) 384-4035 ip@aaos.org; Kristina Goel (847) 384-4034 goel@aaos.org
/Web Site: http://www.aaos.org
CO: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
ST: Illinois
IN: HEA EDU WEB AUT
PRN
-- DC08940 --
0000 04/21/2014 15:30:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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