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MDOT Selected by TIA to Produce Distracted Driving Video

LANSING, Michigan, January 10, 2012 - Narrowly missing being struck by a semi truck, you leave a busy intersection and hear the sound of screeching brakes and crunching metal.  The car behind you was just hit broadside by a driver that inadvertently ran a red light.  Later that night on the television news, you find out that one of the people involved in the horrible crash was pronounced dead.

As a way to raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) today announced that its Video and Photography Services unit was selected to produce a mock-crash video and 30-second public service announcement for the Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan (TIA).

"Distracted driving is a serious, life-threatening behavior that steals loved ones from us and puts innocent drivers and passengers at risk every day," said Jim Santilli, TIA executive director.

The videos are being developed for the "Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign" the TIA plans to kick off in late February.  Ally Zimmerman, a 16-year-old Romeo High School student, was a passenger in a vehicle hit broadside by a distracted driver.  Ally later died from her injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 5,500 people were killed and almost a half million injured in distracted driving-related crashes in 2009.

The TIA, in partnership with its corporate sponsors and other traffic-safety partners, created the "Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign" to raise awareness and change dangerous behavior in all drivers in hopes of saving lives and reducing injuries on Michigan roadways.