Sending Office: Honorable Raja Krishnamoorthi
Sent By:
Rachel.Sorensen@mail.house.gov
Dear Colleague:
Please join us in sending a letter to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development requesting robust funding for distracted driving prevention under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) National Priority
Safety Program. Under this important program, qualified states receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to inform citizens about the dangers of distracted driving and to promote distracted driving laws.
Distracted driving has long taken many forms. However, with the plethora of smart phones and availability of data, it is becoming a greater and more deadly issue, with an adverse impact on young Americans. In 2017, 3,166 people were killed in crashes involving
a distracted driver, and pedestrian deaths reached a nearly 30-year high.
The Advocates for Auto and Highway Safety are supportive of this request. To sign on to this letter, please contact Rachel Sorensen at
Rachel.sorensen@mail.house.gov by
5pm, Monday April 1st.
Sincerely,
Raja Krishnamoorthi
***
April XX, 2019
The Honorable David Price
Chairman
House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies
2358-A Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Subcommittee on
Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies
1016 Longworth House Office Building,
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman David Price and Ranking Member Diaz-Balart:
As you consider the fiscal year 2020 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill, we encourage you to continue to support distracted driving prevention under the Section 405 National Priority Safety Program authorized through the Fixing
America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. This vital program provides federal grants to states that implement comprehensive highway and auto safety laws to prevent distracted driving.
There has never been a more important time to invest resources in distracted driving prevention. According to a report conducted last year by State Farm, more than 80% of teens admit to using their smartphones while driving. Further, according to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,166 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2017.
Importantly, the rise in distracted driving has had a detrimental impact on the overall number of motor vehicle accidents and casualties across the United States. According to the most recent public data, 391,000 people were injured in crashes involving
a distracted driver in 2015, and a total of nearly 38,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes the following year.
With the augment of technological innovation and the growth of smart technology in vehicles, distracted driving is a prevalent issue that must be addressed. We strongly support funding to curb distracted driving in our communities, a bipartisan endeavor
that promotes highway and auto safety and protects our constituents from devastating harm.
Thank you for your consideration of our request.
Sincerely,
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