President's Message


Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

Law enforcement’s view from above

When Denver police stand on ramps and bridges and watch drivers pass underneath them, they see some amazing sights. And not just texting while driving. “We see people reading books and papers,” holding them in their laps beneath the dashboard, Patrolman Ken McNulty told Fox 31 KDVR. “We even see women drying their hair with their heating vents on the dash.”

During a two-day crackdown in March, police wrote 15 citations for texting while driving or distracted driving. That same month, the Eagle County Sheriff's Office outfitted patrol vehicles with read-window decals reading “Hands on the Wheel/Eyes on the Road.” And they handed out distracted-driving automobile air fresheners at schools and community events.

Distracted driving is getting a lot of attention lately, and rightly so. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States. In a year, they contribute to as many as one-half of the 6 million U.S. crashes reported annually.

May is National Bike Month, and with rising gas prices, more and more commuters are biking to work, all the more reason for drivers to be undistracted.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers some potentially life-saving tips. Please follow this advice.

How to avoid driving distracted

STOW ELECTRONIC DEVICES. Turn off your phone before you drive so you won’t be tempted to use it while on the road. Pull over to a safe place to talk on the phone or to send and receive text messages or emails.

SATISFY THAT CRAVING OFF THE ROAD. Eat meals and snacks before getting behind the wheel, or stop to eat and take a break if driving long-distance.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS, BEFORE YOU GET IN THE CAR. Your car isn’t a dressing room. Brush your hair, shave, put on make-up, and tie your necktie before you leave or once you reach your destination.

EVALUATE YOUR OWN BEHAVIOR FROM THE ‘OTHER’ SIDE OF THE ROAD. When you’re on the road as a passenger or a pedestrian, take a look around and honestly evaluate whether you engage in poor driving behaviors that worry you when observed in other passengers or pedestrians.

USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE YOU A BETTER DRIVER. Sharpen your ability to respond quickly to risks on the road. The AAA Foundation recommends all drivers improve their reaction times and managing attention on the road by using DriveSharp, a computer program proven to improve reaction time and stopping distances. With quicker responses, you can avoid the distracted driver who might end up in your lane.

Tony DeNovellis
President and CEO

Back to Top




>>>Return to Table of Contents