[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H13018-H13020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DRIVE SAFER SUNDAY

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 841) expressing support for 
designation of November 29, 2009, as ``Drive Safer Sunday''.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 841

       Whereas motor vehicle travel is the primary means of 
     transportation in the United States;
       Whereas the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
     (NHTSA) estimates that 37,313 people, or more than 100 
     drivers a day, were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes 
     in 2008;
       Whereas the term ``distracted driving'' refers to anything 
     that takes your eyes, hands, or mind away from driving, 
     including food and beverages, traffic accidents, adjusting 
     the radio, children, pets, objects moving in the vehicle, 
     talking or texting on a cell phone, smoking, putting on 
     makeup, shaving, and reading;
       Whereas the NHTSA researched driver distraction with 
     respect to both behavioral and vehicle safety countermeasures 
     in an effort to understand and mitigate crashes associated 
     with distracted driving;
       Whereas, on September 30, 2009, the Department of 
     Transportation (DOT) Secretary Ray LaHood announced new 
     research findings by the NHTSA that show nearly 6,000 people 
     died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive 
     driver, and more than half a million were injured;
       Whereas distracted driving was reported to have been 
     involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 according 
     to data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS);
       Whereas the age group with the greatest proportion of 
     distracted drivers was the under-20 age group, 16 percent of 
     all under-20 drivers in fatal crashes were reported to have 
     been distracted while driving;
       Whereas an estimated 22 percent of injury crashes were 
     reported to have involved distracted driving, according to 
     data from the General Estimates System (GES);
       Whereas crashes in which the critical reason for the crash 
     was attributed to the driver, approximately 18 percent 
     involved distraction, according to the National Motor Vehicle 
     Crash Causation Survey (NMVCCS);
       Whereas during the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, 
     driver involvement in secondary tasks contributed to over 22 
     percent of all crashes;
       Whereas everyone traveling on the roads and highways needs 
     to drive safer to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from 
     motor vehicle accidents;
       Whereas driver behavior can be effectively changed through 
     education and awareness; and
       Whereas the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest 
     highway traffic day of the year and would be appropriate to 
     designate as ``Drive Safer Sunday'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) encourages--
       (A) high schools, colleges, universities, administrators, 
     teachers, primary schools, and secondary schools to launch 
     campus-wide educational campaigns to urge students to be 
     careful about safety when driving;
       (B) national trucking firms to alert their drivers to be 
     especially focused on driving safely during the heaviest 
     traffic day of the year, and to publicize the importance of 
     the day using Citizen's Band (CB) radios and in truck stops 
     across the Nation;
       (C) clergy to remind their members to travel safely when 
     attending services and gatherings;
       (D) law enforcement personnel to remind drivers and 
     passengers to drive safer; and
       (E) all people of the United States to use this as an 
     opportunity to educate themselves about the dangers of 
     distracted driving and highway safety; and
       (2) supports the designation of ``Drive Safer Sunday''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Bishop) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) will 
each control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 841.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 841, a resolution 
that supports the designation of November 29, 2009, as Drive Safer 
Sunday, and encourages the greater education and awareness of the 
growing dangers caused by distracted driving on the Nation's roadways. 
I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) for introducing 
this resolution ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday as part of a growing 
effort to combat this dangerous trend.
  Improving roadway safety is a top priority of our national 
transportation policy. Through the coordinated efforts of the Congress, 
the Department of Transportation, States, local governments, and 
community leaders, we can--and we must--take steps to reduce the 
alarming numbers of fatalities on the Nation's roadways each year.
  On average over the past 5 years, over 41,500 people annually have 
lost their lives in vehicle crashes resulting in yearly costs of $289 
billion to the United States economy. Despite these startling 
statistics, the public has in many ways come to accept traffic 
fatalities as unavoidable.
  Recently, a number of high-profile accidents have brought public 
scrutiny on the dangers of distracted driving, particularly texting 
while driving. This attention has led to a growing consensus that tasks 
that require drivers to divert attention from the road--such as dialing 
of a cell phone or sending text messages--undermine driver performance 
and must be combated.
  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 
2008, 5,870 people lost their lives and an estimated 515,000 people 
were injured in police-reported crashes in which at least one form of 
driver distraction was cited on the crash report. Driver distraction 
was reported to have been involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes 
in 2008, increasing from 12 percent in 2004.
  Addressing this troubling number of fatalities on our roadways will 
require a comprehensive approach to highway safety. That is why it is 
important during periods of above-average risk that we do everything in 
our power to inform the driving public about the importance of driving 
safety, remaining focused on the primary task at hand of operating a 
vehicle, and avoiding the many distractions that have caused so many 
unnecessary accidents.
  This resolution brings much-needed awareness to the threats posed by 
roadway fatalities, particularly around the

[[Page H13019]]

busy Thanksgiving holiday. With drivers from every region of the U.S. 
traveling for the holidays, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is one of the 
busiest highway traffic days of the year, and one of the deadliest as 
well.
  During the 2008 Thanksgiving season alone, 389 passenger vehicle 
occupants were killed in motor vehicle accidents nationwide. This 
Thanksgiving we can all play a role in reducing these numbers through 
the commonsense recommendations in this resolution.
  I again thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) for 
highlighting this important issue, and I urge my colleagues to join me 
in supporting H. Res. 841.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution 
but at this point I would like to yield to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) such time as he may consume.
  Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his support of 
the resolution and for yielding his time.
  A special thank you to my good friend from New York (Mr. Bishop) for 
his leadership on this issue and also for his words this afternoon in 
support of this resolution, and also thanks to the chairman, Chairman 
Oberstar; the ranking member, Mr. Mica; the subcommittee chair, Mr. 
DeFazio; and subcommittee ranking member, Mr. Duncan, for their support 
of this resolution as well.
  As my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 
and I have heard at recent hearings, the issue of distracted driving 
has been gaining a lot of attention recently, and rightfully so. On 
September 30, 2009, Secretary Ray LaHood announced new research 
findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that 
show nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted 
or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured.
  While the most recognized form of distracted driving is talking or 
texting on the cell phone, the term ``distracted driving'' actually 
refers to anything that takes your eyes, hands, or mind away from 
driving--including food and beverages, traffic accidents, adjusting the 
radio, children and pets in the vehicle, smoking, putting on makeup, 
shaving and reading--all of these behaviors need highlighting.
  As my colleague from Oregon, Chairman DeFazio, said during our 
committee's hearing on distracted driving, ``More research needs to be 
done so we can fully understand the extent of this problem, but the 
research that has been done shows a growing consensus the tasks that 
require the driver to divert their eyes from the road and/or their 
hands from the steering wheel pose a serious distraction that 
undermines driver performance.''
  The Department of Transportation's recent distracted driving summit 
put a spotlight on this issue as well. Most car accidents are caused by 
drivers not paying attention according to the administration.
  Improving roadway safety is a top priority not only for the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee but the House of 
Representatives as well. While we are still in the formative stages of 
establishing a Federal legislative policy consensus, it is important 
that we do not delay in deploying important educational and awareness 
outreach efforts, and this resolution attempts to do just that.
  This resolution, which we have called the Drive Safer Sunday 
resolution, simply designates November 29, the Sunday after 
Thanksgiving and the busiest highway traffic day of the year, as Drive 
Safer Sunday and encourages all people in the country to use this as an 
opportunity to educate themselves and others about the dangers of 
distracted driving and highway safety. This resolution would encourage 
schools, trucking firms, clergy, and law enforcement to launch 
educational campaigns to urge students, members, and citizens to be 
careful about safety and driving.
  Motor vehicle travel is the primary means of travel in the United 
States, and the administration estimates that 37,315 people--or more 
than 100 drivers a day--were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008. 
As we approach the busiest traffic day of the year, everyone traveling 
on the roads and highways needs to be aware of the risks associated 
with distracted driving and drive safer to reduce deaths and injuries 
resulting from motor vehicle accidents.
  This resolution is a reminder of the personal responsibility each 
driver accepts every time they put their key in the ignition, and we 
can all do little things to make the roads safer and be more 
considerate of the other motorists.
  I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) for his kind support 
of this resolution.

                              {time}  1300

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the chairman of the Transportation Committee, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar).
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I want to thank Mr. Bishop for his leadership on this issue, but 
especially the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) who had the 
foresight and the tenacity of concern to draft this resolution and call 
national attention to the subject of safe driving, particularly on this 
busiest travel weekend of the year, the Thanksgiving holiday time.
  It is particularly poignant to me as nearly every year our daughter, 
Noelle; her husband, Todd; granddaughters, Emma, Lily, and Coryn, drive 
from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Washington for Thanksgiving and back, 13-
plus hours on the road. This year they are flying. My daughter Corrine 
and her husband, Steve, will come down from Pennsylvania near Mr. 
Gerlach's district and drive back, and it always bothers me there is so 
much traffic in the I-95 corridor which is so heavily traveled.
  It takes me back to the beginning of the interstate highway system, 
the driving force behind the interstate. Far more than congestion on 
the Nation's roadways, movement of goods and people, was the prospect 
in 1955, the rising number of highway fatalities, that if we didn't do 
something, in less than a decade, more than 100,000 people would be 
dying on the Nation's roadways.
  My predecessor, John Blatnik, who was one of the five coauthors of 
the interstate highway system, told me repeatedly when I was his 
administrative assistant that that was the driving force, the fear that 
we would continue to have carnage on the Nation's roadways, that drove 
the Congress, that pushed the Eisenhower administration to taking 
action to revive the study initiated under then-President Roosevelt 
just before the end of World War II that resulted in a recommendation 
of a 44,000-mile highway network for the continental United States.
  Eisenhower then designated General Lucius Clay to resurrect that 
study. The Clay Commission came back and reported what became the 
National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.
  Fatalities were in the range of 55,000 a year. We brought that down 
over 50 years to 43,000. Half of those are related to alcohol. Half of 
the fatal accidents are urban residents driving on rural roads not 
accustomed to obstructed line of sight, to blind intersections, to 
ground fog, to whiteouts at intersections during winter months. So half 
of the fatalities occur in rural areas. Half of those who die in rural 
areas are from urban centers.
  We are all engaged together in the need for a safer driving 
environment. It was bad enough to have alcohol and drug abuse, but now 
distracted driving.
  Mr. Bishop referenced the Secretary's summit, as did Mr. Gerlach, on 
distracted driving just a few weeks ago. The Secretary is on his way to 
a conference in Moscow on safe driving. He left yesterday to lead the 
way among industrialized nations of the world to develop better 
information and take stronger action to improve safety on our roadways.
  The European Commission, in 5 years, has reduced their highway 
fatality from 55,000 a year to 43,000 in just 5 years. A centerpiece of 
their action in the European Transport Ministry was to ban cell phone 
use. In Portugal, it is a crime to use a cell phone while driving. 
Whether you are involved in an accident or not, traffic police are 
authorized to arrest persons who can then be prosecuted as criminals 
for using cell phones while driving. The European community is serious 
about this, and we need to get serious as well.

[[Page H13020]]

  This resolution will move us into a greater awareness, a broader 
general awareness of the need for improved attention to safety.
  Our transportation bill that has been reported from subcommittee and 
ready to come to the House floor will double the investment, over 6 
years, in highway safety to $12-plus billion over 6 years. That is what 
we need to do. We have funding for awareness programs and we have 
funding for increased driver training and driver education 
responsibility and more truck safety. There are a whole range of 
initiatives that need to be undertaken and need to be funded. We need a 
6-year transportation bill to do that. This administration needs to get 
on board with us, not spend the next year dithering about what kind of 
bill we need to have. We have got the bill. We have the ideas. We have 
the initiatives and the public support. We need to move ahead with this 
bill.
  Thank heavens for this resolution that will increase public awareness 
in this very critical time of year. Many millions of our fellow 
citizens take to the highways. They need to take to the highways safely 
and come home safely.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, again I rise in strong support of the 
resolution and remind my colleagues that during this holiday season we 
have an opportunity to help remind drivers of the harmful consequences 
of distracted driving and that harmful consequence on loved ones and 
others. So I encourage all Members of Congress to join me in supporting 
this resolution.
  I would like to insert into the Congressional Record correspondence 
received from the AAA organization.

                                                     Triple A,

                                 Washington, DC, November 2, 2009.
     Hon. Jim Gerlach,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Gerlach: AAA supports your resolution on 
     distracted driving, H. Res. 841, to designate November 29, 
     2009, as ``Drive Safer Sunday.'' Your effort is in line with 
     our own work to raise public awareness of the dangers posed 
     by distracted driving.
       Recently, AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 
     encouraged all drivers to participate in ``Heads Up Driving 
     Week'' from October 5-11. We asked drivers to take a first 
     step toward driving distraction-free by trying it for one 
     week, and then continuing that good habit for life. Drivers 
     were urged to sign a pledge committing to distraction-free 
     driving, and were provided 10 tips on how to eliminate 
     distractions from their daily travel. For your information, I 
     am enclosing the 10 tips that support the campaign.
       AAA has also launched a state legislative campaign to pass 
     laws banning text messaging while driving in all 50 states by 
     2013. Enacting texting while driving bans is an important 
     step in reducing the incidence of this dangerous practice 
     among motorists nationwide. We'll also continue our work 
     through public education, driver training, and other safety 
     programs to discourage motorists from engaging in the broad 
     range of distractions that tempt them while behind the wheel.
       AAA and a number of other safety groups recently sent a 
     letter urging Congress to take a comprehensive approach to 
     the issue of distracted driving. We urge Congress to support 
     funding for research, data collection, public education, law 
     enforcement and roadway countermeasures.
       We support your goal of drawing public attention to the 
     dangers of distracted driving and the importance of traffic 
     safety. Thank you for your leadership on this important 
     issue.
           Sincerely,

                                               Jill Ingrassia,

                           Managing Director, Government Relations
                                      and Traffic Safety Advocacy.

               AAA 10 Tips To Minimize Distracted Driving

       AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety will be 
     asking motorists to participate by making Heads Up Driving 
     Week a distraction-free week of driving.
       Using a cell phone, text messaging, or emailing are just 
     some of many possible distractions that divert drivers' 
     attention. Eating, talking with passengers, reading maps or 
     the newspaper, writing, personal grooming, and looking at 
     things outside the vehicle are among countless activities 
     that could create a substantial crash risk.
       Below are 10 quick and easy ways drivers can minimize 
     distractions.
       1. Plan Ahead. Read maps and check traffic conditions 
     before you get on the road.
       2. 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.
       3. Prepare Kids and Pets for the Trip. Get the kids safely 
     buckled in and situated with snacks and entertainment before 
     you start driving. If they need additional attention during 
     the trip, pull off the road safely to care for them. 
     Similarly, prepare and secure pets appropriately in your 
     vehicle before getting underway.
       4. 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.
       5. Store Loose Gear and Possessions. Stash away loose 
     objects that could roll around and take your attention away 
     from driving.
       6. Get Your Vehicle Road-Ready. Adjust seat positions, 
     climate controls, sound systems and other devices before you 
     leave or while your vehicle is stopped. Make sure your 
     headlights are spotless so you can see everything on the road 
     and every other driver can see you better.
       7. 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.
       8. Get Your Brain in the Game. Focus on the task at hand--
     driving safely. Scan the road, use mirrors and practice 
     commentary driving, identifying orally events and conditions 
     you may have to react to. Really focusing on maintaining your 
     thoughts about the road, when you're on the road, can help 
     enhance your engagement, your overall awareness and behavior 
     as a driver, and help you see the importance of ``being in 
     the game.''
       9. 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 might 
     have some of the same driving behaviors as those who you're a 
     little worried about as a passenger or pedestrian.
       10. Enlist Passengers. Ask a passenger to help you with 
     activities that may be distracting.
       These tips and further information about distracted driving 
     are available at www.AAAFoundation.org/HeadsUp.

  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me just close by thanking 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach) for his leadership on 
this issue. Let me also thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. 
Oberstar, for moving this resolution through the committee so rapidly 
and bringing it to the floor so quickly. Let me also echo the 
chairman's comments with respect to the urgency and the desirability of 
passing a robust reauthorization of the highway transportation bill as 
quickly as we possibly can.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 841.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________