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First of its kind advocacy group will raise awareness and support victims of distracted driving

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National
Safety Council President Janet Froetscher today announced the creation of
FocusDriven, the first national nonprofit organization devoted specifically
to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. The group will
be led by Jennifer Smith, who has been an outspoken advocate against
distracted driving since her mother was killed by someone talking on his
cell phone while driving in 2008.

FocusDriven is a direct outgrowth of the September 2009 national Distracted
Driving Summit in Washington, DC called by Secretary LaHood. Since the
two-day meeting that brought together affected families, law enforcement,
researchers, public officials and others, family members of distracted
driving victims have worked to establish an advocacy organization with
support from the Department of Transportation and the National Safety
Council (NSC), a nonprofit organization that uses leadership, research,
education and advocacy to prevent injuries and save lives. FocusDriven's new
website, www.focusdriven.org , hosts
information on distracted driving, help for victims and family members, and
ways to get involved.

"I first met several of the founding members of FocusDriven at our
Distracted Driving Summit, and I'm deeply impressed by their commitment to
turn these tragic events into positive actions that will help save lives,"
said Secretary LaHood. "Their stories are not just heartbreaking; they're
also a clear and compelling call to action."

"It is my hope that FocusDriven will serve as a valuable resource for those
who have lost loved ones as a result of the senseless and preventable
destructive practice of distracted driving," said Jennifer Smith, President
of FocusDriven. "Secretary LaHood and the Department of Transportation's
attention to this topic have helped make it top safety issue. Their efforts
have provided hope that we can quickly eliminate this threat and prevent
other families from going through what we have experienced."

Exactly one year ago today, the National Safety Council became the first
organization to call for a nationwide ban on cell phone use while driving.
NSC President and CEO Janet Froetscher spoke at the Department of
Transportation's national Distracted Driving Summit last fall and has
committed NSC's resources to helping establish FocusDriven.

"FocusDriven is an important organization that puts faces and names to the
tragedies caused by cell phone use while driving," said National Safety
Council President Janet Froetscher. "The members of FocusDriven have
powerful stories to tell about their loved ones. We hope their stories will
help people realize the dangers of using cell phones while driving."

FocusDriven is modeled after Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which has
successfully changed society's attitudes towards drinking and driving with
the use of advocates who have experienced the terrible consequences
firsthand. FocusDriven also hopes to provide support for victims of
distracted driving, which has become a growing epidemic in our society, but
also to expand its mission to include education and the evaluation of new
technologies.

Shelley Forney. Fort Collins, Colorado. Her daughter Erica was killed when
a woman driving an SUV failed to see her riding her bike home from school.

Rob Reynolds. Omaha, Nebraska. Rob lost his 16-year-old daughter Cady when a
distracted teen driver ran a red light and sideswiped her car.

Judy Teater. Spring Lake, Michigan. Judy was taking her son Joe home from an
after-school activity when a young woman on a cell phone ran a red light and
hit the passenger side of her car, killing Joe. Since then, she and her
husband David Teater have become outspoken advocates against distracted
driving.

Elissa Schee. Citra, Florida. Elissa lost her daughter, Margay, when a semi
truck slammed into the back of her stopped school bus.

Putting an end to the dangerous practice of distracted driving is a top
priority for Secretary LaHood and the Department of Transportation. The
department recently launched a federal website, www.distraction.gov
, with comprehensive information on distracted
driving, as well as a national PSA featuring Secretary LaHood to raise
awareness about this dangerous driving behavior.

Secretary LaHood said, "Just as groups like MADD changed attitudes about
drunk driving, I believe FocusDriven can help raise awareness and change the
way people think about distracted driving. Together, I hope we can put an
end to this dangerous practice."

For more information about preventing distracted driving, please visit
www.distraction.gov , www.nsc.org
, and www.focusdriven.org
.



National Safety Council Estimates that At Least 1.6 Million Crashes are
Caused Each Year by Drivers Using Cell Phones and Texting

Washington, DC - The National Safety Council announced today that it
estimates at least 28% of all traffic crashes - or at least 1.6 million
crashes each year - are caused by drivers using cell phones and texting. NSC
estimates that 1.4 million crashes each year are caused by drivers using
cell phones and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes each year are caused
by drivers who are texting. The announcement came on the one-year
anniversary of NSC's call for a ban on all cell phone use and texting while
driving.

"We now know that at least 1.6 million crashes are caused by drivers using
cell phones and texting," said Janet Froetscher, president & CEO of the
National Safety Council. "We know that cell phone use is a very risky
distraction and texting is even higher risk. We now know that cell phone use
causes many more crashes than texting. The main reason is that millions more
drivers use cell phones than text," she said. "That is why we need to
address both texting and cell phone use on our roads."

"This new estimate provides critical data for legislators, business leaders
and individuals to evaluate the threat and need for legislation, business
policies and personal actions to prevent cell phone use and texting while
driving," Froetscher said. "There was great progress made in 2009,
particularly regarding a broad recognition that texting is dangerous. We now
need the same broad consensus that recognizes cell phone use while driving
causes even more crashes."

Froetscher said public support for laws banning cell phone use while driving
is gaining momentum.

"Public opinion research conducted in 2009 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety and Nationwide Insurance show public support for total bans on cell
phones at 43 and 57 percent respectively," Froetscher said. "With public
support now around 50 percent, we will continue to educate people about the
risks of cell phone use while driving and the value of effectively-enforced
laws in changing behavior and reducing crashes."

In constructing its estimates, NSC used widely-accepted statistical methods
and analysis based on data of driver cell phone use from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and from peer-reviewed
research that quantifies the risk of using a cell phone and texting while
driving. NSC's statistical model and estimates were peer-reviewed by
academic researchers in traffic safety and biostatistics.

The estimate of 25% of all crashes -- or 1.4 million crashes -- caused by
cell phone use was derived from NHTSA data showing 11% of drivers at any one
time are using cell phones and from peer-reviewed research reporting cell
phone use increases crash risk by four times. The estimate of an additional
minimum 3% of crashes -- or 200,000 crashes -- caused by texting was derived
by NHTSA data showing 1% of drivers at any one time are manipulating their
device in ways that include texting and from research reporting texting
increases crash risk by 8 times. Using the highest risk for texting reported
by research of 23 times results in a maximum of 1 million crashes due to
texting; still less than the 1.4 million crashes caused by other cell phone
use.

The National Safety Council (www.nsc.org ) saves lives
by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on
the roads, through leadership, research, education and advocacy.