Drop It and Drive: A Campaign to End Distracted Driving

“Drop it and drive.”  

Chances are, at some point, you’ve uttered a phrase like that after witnessing someone on the road talking, texting or surfing the Web on their cellphone while driving. 

Statistics confirm what most drivers know, but many continue to ignore: distracted driving is dangerous and deadly.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drivers using hand-held phones are four times more likely to get into an accident causing injuries. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that more than 3,300 fatalities nationwide – about 10 percent of all traffic deaths – occur as a result of distracted driving.

And, in Illinois, nearly 6,000 crashes occurred from 2008 to 2012 in which some form of driver distraction involving a cellphone was cited by police, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Of those, 30 were fatal.

These are preventable tragedies.

Gov. Pat Quinn and Secretary of State Jesse White are leading efforts to help save lives by cracking down on distracted driving. This past summer, Gov. Quinn signed into law a ban on the use of hand-held cellphones while driving in Illinois and increased penalties where use of an electronic device leads to a crash resulting in serious injuries.

The new state law prohibits motorists from talking on all but hands-free mobile phones while driving. Get caught talking, texting or surfing the Web while driving? Under the new law, fines start at $75 for drivers caught using a hand-held cellphone while driving. Drivers could pay $150 for repeat offenses and may eventually have their driver’s license suspended. Drivers who cause fatal crashes while using a hand-held electronic device could wind up serving up to three years in prison.

The tragic results caused by the growing epidemic of distracted driving are why we have come together to launch a new public awareness campaign. Our goal is to educate drivers about the hand-held cellphone ban that took effect Jan. 1, 2014, and remind motorists that if they drive with a phone in one hand, they can expect a ticket in the other.

We are doing our part to spread the word.  But, drivers need to do their part, as well, by making the decision to focus 100 percent on driving every trip, every time.  Together, we can reduce the number of cellphone-related crashes on Illinois roadways. 

For more information about how to participate this important campaign, please visit www.dropitanddriveillinois.com.

Signed,

Hiram Grau, director, Illinois State Police

Kristi Lafleur, executive director, Illinois Tollway

Ann. L. Schneider, secretary, Illinois Department of Transportation

Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State

Brad Roeber, regional president, AAA Chicago