[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 63 (Friday, April 30, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S3014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   DISTRACTED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 510, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 510) designating April 20, 2010, as 
     ``Distracted Driving Awareness Month.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DODD. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 510) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 510

       Whereas, in 2008, nearly 6,000 people died as a result of 
     accidents involving a distracted driver;
       Whereas 21 percent of vehicle crash injuries in 2008 
     involved distracted driving;
       Whereas a 2009 study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic 
     Safety found that 87 percent of the public considers texting 
     while driving to be a ``very serious threat'' to their 
     safety;
       Whereas 6 States, the District of Columbia, and the United 
     States Virgin Islands have enacted laws banning the use of 
     hand-held cell phones while driving;
       Whereas 23 States, the District of Columbia, and Guam have 
     enacted laws banning texting while driving;
       Whereas a 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
     Administration revealed that at any given moment during 
     daylight hours more than 800,000 vehicles are being operated 
     by someone who is using a hand-held cell phone;
       Whereas the Department of Transportation has launched 
     distraction.gov, a website devoted to raising awareness and 
     educating the people of the United States about the dangers 
     of distracted driving;
       Whereas the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, 
     convened a 2-day Distracted Driving Summit in September 2009;
       Whereas the Department of Transportation and the National 
     Highway Traffic Safety Administration have jointly declared 
     April 30, 2010, to be ``No Phone Zone Day''; and
       Whereas April 2010 would be an appropriate month to 
     designate as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 2010 as ``Distracted Driving Awareness 
     Month'';
       (2) encourages all people in the United States to consider 
     the danger to others on the road and avoid distracted 
     driving; and
       (3) encourages teens, parents, teachers, and community 
     leaders to discuss the dangers of distracted driving.

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