FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Saturday, May 4, 2013

CONTACT:

Jessica Goodman

[email protected]

703-772-7168

Delegate Barbara Comstock To Host Community Forum On The Dangers Of Distracted Driving

McLean, VA - Delegate Comstock (R-34) will host a community forum on Tuesday, May 7th with a panel of local experts and officials to educate the community about the dangers of distracted driving and inform residents about the new law in Virginia which prohibits texting while driving that passed during the 2013 legislative session at the General Assembly.

WHAT: Dangers of Distracted Driving Forum

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7th, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

*PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME*

WHERE:

Cascades Library

Room A

21030 Whitfield Place

Potomac Falls, Virginia 20165

FEATURED PANELISTS:

Delegate Barbara Comstock

Janet Brooking, DRIVE SMART Virginia

Tom Pecoraro, I Drive Smart

Lt. Rudy Landon, Traffic Safety Section, Loudoun Sheriff's Office

Loudoun County Algonkian Supervisor Suzanne Volpe

Loudoun County School Board Member Debbie Rose

Background:

Delegate Comstock worked with her colleagues at the Virginia General Assembly this legislative session to pass House Bill 1907. Introduced by Delegate Rich Anderson and co-patroned by Delegate Comstock, this measure shifts the penalty for texting while driving from a secondary offense to a primary offense.

Countless dangerous and even deadly situations have occurred from this increasing problem. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting while driving increased crash risk by 2300 percent. Moreover, 80 percent of crashes result from some form of driver inattention within 3 seconds of the crash. Under this legislation, officers would now be empowered to stop a driver and immediately issue a citation to an individual who is texting while driving. The penalty issued for texting while driving would include $125 for the first offense and $250 for each offense thereafter.

This forum will be held as a part of Delegate Comstock's efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving through education and community based efforts. The representatives listed above will make a presentation informing residents about recent cases of distracted driving in our area, what officials and organizations are doing to combat this problem and increase safety on our roadways and address questions from the audience.

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