Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has launched a new statewide campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, particularly among young motorists.
The “One Road. One Focus.” campaign, introduced during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, features a three-pronged approach: a required educational video for teen drivers, a statewide billboard campaign and expanded enforcement patrols.
Teen drivers applying for a learner’s permit must now watch a video illustrating the deadly consequences of distracted driving.
More than 165,000 high school students are expected to view the video this year. Billboard ads, donated by WC Media Inc., have been placed in 15 locations across Illinois with messages urging drivers to “Stop Texting, Start Driving.”
The campaign also includes increased distracted driving patrols funded by a $77,000 grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). State Police will focus on high-crash areas to issue citations and discourage unsafe behaviors.
“‘Intexticated’ driving is the drunk driving of our time—and it’s entirely preventable,” said Giannoulias, in a statement. “This campaign is about saving lives and changing habits.”
In 2023, nearly 3,300 people were killed and over 300,000 injured in crashes involving distracted drivers, according to NHTSA data.
Source: Office of the Secretary of State, Riverbender.com
