For more than three years, DOT has been leading the charge to end America's distracted driving epidemic. We have worked tirelessly to let people know that texting or talking on a cell phone behind the wheel puts everyone on the road at risk.
In that time, we've been lucky enough to work with many individuals and organizations who share our commitment to safety. And today, I'm thrilled to welcome another partner to our effort: the hit FOX TV show Glee.
A few months ago, Glee featured a major storyline about the dangers of distracted driving. Quinn Fabray, one of the show's main characters played by Dianna Agron, was seriously injured in a car crash caused by texting while driving.
Today, footage from that episode is being used in a new series of public service announcements (PSAs) designed to help young people get the message that texting and driving don't mix. The "On My Way" PSAs emphasize that just reading a text message behind the wheel can take your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds – enough time to drive the length of a football field.
“This was a story we wanted to tell because we know the influence our show can have in starting conversations and raising awareness,” said Glee executive producer and co-creator Ryan Murphy. “We had been looking for an opportunity to tell the story of how a few seconds of carelessness could have a devastating impact on people’s lives, and we’ve already heard from thousands of our fans about how this story touched them."
"We must help educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “These Glee PSAs show that distracted driving can have serious consequences, and we hope young drivers take that message to heart and share it with their friends.”
This new campaign is just the latest effort in DOT’s fight against distracted driving. Since 2010, our "Faces of Distracted Driving" video series has been seen by hundreds of thousands of viewers. In June, our "Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving" outlined concrete steps safety advocates around the country can take to reduce distracted driving in their communities.
And today, NHTSA is announcing a new grant program that will provide up to $17.5 million to support the efforts of states that have laws banning distracted driving.
The message is clear: A few seconds of distracted driving behind the wheel can kill or seriously injure drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
We want to prevent those tragedies, and we welcome the support of safety partners like Glee. My thanks go out to all of our partners who helped make this new PSA campaign possible, particularly the Ad Council, Ryan Murphy, and the entire cast of Glee.
I hope these tv shows actually show teens that it is horrible to text and drive. But they need to continually show it.
Posted by: ShopSAR | August 22, 2012 at 02:07 PM
This is awesome and a really good use of the TV show, I'm glad they agreed to participate!
Posted by: Beth | August 22, 2012 at 03:20 PM
Really? Because that episode of Glee taught me that if I got into a car wreck while driving that in just a few short weeks I would be rolling myself down the hallway singing and being happy in a wheelchair with NO damage to my pretty little face or broken bones or bruises. And that I could be up and dancing at Nationals in a few months!
If they REALLY wanted to make an impact, they would have killed off her character. Instead, I still don't think twice about reading a text while driving.
Posted by: Brooke | August 22, 2012 at 03:42 PM
Most teens, and any age driver, don't realize how much can change in five seconds. But when you're driving 60+ miles per hour a lot can happen in that 5 seconds without you realizing it. No text is that important that it's worth risking your or someone else's life.
Posted by: Mike Christophers | August 24, 2012 at 12:51 PM
This is truly a great way to get the mesage out. My then 16 y.o. step-son wrecked my car in 2006... because of texting. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt... but it was enough to "kknock" some sense in him that driving requires full concentration. Tyler Perry's "Meet the Brown's" also has a very good episode about teens/texts/driving.
Posted by: DATurner | August 24, 2012 at 03:12 PM
The Fox Tv Show Glee reaches millions and this is great way of promoting the efforts of the DOT in combating the increase in accidents due to texting while driving.
Also the movie "Seven Pounds" starring Will Smith in 2008 made people aware of this problem. This is promoting not just to some local newspaper and a small number of people but to the Millions in such a real way people with look towards making a positive change by emulating there favorite Tv Stars.
Thanks for Glee and Ray LaHood for doing a great job at the DOT in finding innovative ways to get there messages heard !
Posted by: CarTran | August 26, 2012 at 01:56 PM
Anything that can be done to do away with texting and driving
is something everyone should support. What we have to say can wait. My 21 year old granddaughter was on her way home from Mississippi State University on May 4th,2012, and sent a text
at 7:29. By 7:37 law enforcement was on the scene and she was gone. Katie Beth lost control of her car and was not able to correct, not paying attention. Katie Beth was not just beautiful to look at, but more than that on the inside. She had so much to look forward to . She had the love of her life, her family and more friends than most people ever even know. This has and continues to be something that so many of us will not soon recover from.
Katie Beth made everyone around her laugh, feel good about themselves and always encouraged others. Please help so no on else ever has to have this experience.
Jane Carruth
Posted by: Jane Carruth | August 28, 2012 at 01:50 PM
Really Brooke? Reply from a post by her on 8/22). If you realize what can really happen, why do you belittle the situation and play dumb about it?
Ray Racobs, Wichita, KS
Posted by: Ray Racobs | August 31, 2012 at 02:36 PM
u.s.dept.of transportion should have window sticker pls.dont txt& drive,stop the wrecks.
Posted by: michael karavas | September 09, 2012 at 04:07 PM