DOT Releases 'OMG' PSA Against Distracted Driving

By Adrianna McGinley

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is expanding their effort to warn teens against distracted driving with the release of its “OMG” public service announcement.

The DOT unveiled the PSA Monday, which will play on 6,589 movie screens at 526 Regal Cinemas and 12,000 high-traffic gas pump screens across the country.

“There is no better time to be reminded of this vital message than during those five minutes our viewers are stopped at the pump,” said Nathan Gill from Outcast’s PumpTop TV.

Using popular texting acronyms like “L8R,” “OMG” and “LOL,” the PSA is directly targeting young drivers who are more likely to use their mobile phones to text while driving.

“Teen drivers are particularly vulnerable to distracted driving which is why we are making an extra effort to ensure they understand the dangers,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We’re reaching teens directly, whether they’re at the movies or filling up their tanks, to emphasize the importance of keeping their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their focus on driving at all times.”

Parents and teens can watch the PSA and “The Faces of Distracted Driving” videos at the DOT’s redesigned website, www.distraction.gov. At the site, teen drivers will find tools to spread the word, including a program that can be spearheaded by students themselves called “Students Against Distracted Driving” (SADD).

Since the launch of the campaign against distracted driving in 2009, 37 states and territories have outlawed text messaging while driving. Eleven states and territories have banned all hand-held phone use while driving.

DoT Secretary Says Transportation Bill Is A Job Bill

By Kaeun Yu

At Tuesday’s budget hearing of the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies, Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood proposed a $556 billion reauthorization for the Department of Transportation budget request for the next six years.

Lahood touted the budget proposal by pointing out the nation’s investment in infrastructure has been inadequate. Lahood added that the $556 billion request would also help the economy by increasing jobs.

“We know how to put people to work,” Lahood told the members of the committee. “We have deteriorating roads and bridges, and we have folks in the neighborhood who need work. What better way to do it?” said Lahood.

According to Lahood, funding the budget is possible through the Highway Trust Fund, which is collected through fuel and other excise taxes, Public-private partnerships and by creating a national infrastructure bank, and allow government grants to leverage loan programs to transportation projects. Tolling or congestion pricing, modeled in London, were discussed as other ways to generate funding.

“For too long we have put off the improvements needed to keep pace with today’s transportation needs,” said Lahood in a released statement. 

“If we settle for the status quo, our next generation of entrepreneurs will find America’s arteries of commerce impassably clogged and our families and neighbors will fight paralyzing congestion.”

President Obama has currently requested $129 billion for Transportation in FY 2012. As he stressed during the State of the Union, investment in infrastructure is essential to “win the future”.

Chair of the Subcommittee Tom Latham (R-Iowa) pointed that no bill by DOT has been proposed yet and that work with the authorizing committee is needed.

Cash For Clunkers Program Goes Into Drive

By Courtney Costello- Talk Radio News Service

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood kicked off the CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) program Monday at the Department of Transportation in Washington.

CARS is essentially an incentive buyers program for fuel efficient vehicles.

According to LaHood, the program, also known as “Cash for Clunkers,” will help struggling consumers buy cost efficient and energy efficient cars. It will also help dealerships overcome the bad economy and it will help lower green house admissions.

LaHood explained that any car purchased through the program must be more fuel efficient than the car being traded in.

“This experiment has worked very, very well in other countries, including Germany where new car sales in June were up 40% from the previous June...We have experience in other countries that proves that it works,” added Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.)

Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) said, “We have an exciting road ahead of us here in this nation, with this CARS program we’re going to shore up and strengthen our manufacturing...We’re not only going to make it possible for our auto and related industries to compete, of course, were going to make sure and make it possible for them to succeed."

As of today, 16,000 dealers have submitted applications to participate and 1.5 million Americans have visited the program's website (cars.gov), said LaHood.

The program will run until November 1st, 2009, or until funding for the program runs out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration expects that 250,000 “clunkers” will be taken off the road as a result of the program.

Also present for the announcement were Reps. Sander Levin (D-Mich.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.)