Cpl. Rebecca Ellison of the Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department recently stopped a woman near the school’s medical campus for traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. Ellison immediately noted that the driver had a cell phone in her hand — and knew exactly what to say. “If you put that phone down, you … Continue reading →
Every day in this county, an average of nine people die in traffic crashes where the proximate cause was driver distraction, usually a distraction from technology. That’s nine families per day who will never again celebrate their loved one’s birthday, enjoy Christmas morning together or simply receive a daily hug. It’s easy to talk about … Continue reading →
A recent study by Virginia Tech showed 80 percent of all crashes, and 65 percent of all near-crashes, involved a distracted driving incident within three seconds of the event. In fact, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. Thankfully, alcohol-related crashes among … Continue reading →
I went through the drive-through of McDonalds, extremely hungry, and bought a burger and fries. As I was pulling out of the parking lot, I was looking down and eating my fries. Next thing I know, I hear a crash and jolted forward. While I was busy eating my fries, I didn’t even realize that … Continue reading →
The conversation always begins with a knock on a door. It’s one of the hardest responsibilities of a public safety professional’s job – delivering a death message. Telling someone that his or her loved one won’t be coming home today, tonight, tomorrow, ever. Sadly, that tragic conversation has already taken place in living rooms across … Continue reading →
For those of us who understand the distractions of talking or texting on a cell phone while driving and acknowledge this is not a safe thing to do, we probably avoid picking up the phone to use while the vehicle is in motion. But how many of us while sitting at a stop light or … Continue reading →
Bicycling is a joyous thing. The wind rustles your clothes and cools you. The colors around you are vivid. You smell the scents of the world. Hear the sounds of children playing, your chain making little whisperings, dogs barking, and trains, and people talking as you roll by. It’s a joyous life-affirming thing. In communities … Continue reading →
We all know that distracted driving has become a dangerous epidemic on America’s roadways. In 2012 alone, 3,328 were killed in distracted driving crashes. That’s why the U.S. Department of Transportation is leading the effort to stop texting and cell phone use behind the wheel. Since 2009, we have held two national distracted driving summits, … Continue reading →
I was about 15 years old and my friend John and I went to Nags Head with my family one weekend. On Saturday while at the beach, my mom received a phone call from John’s mother. His brother went to a party the night before and drank too much so he decided to stay the … Continue reading →
Being a registered nurse for 18 years in the fields of Emergency Medicine and Flight Nursing has given me a unique perspective on traumatic injuries. I choose my profession for the reasons that you would probably expect…. To help people recover from serious injuries and illnesses and to save lives. I recall one weekend in … Continue reading →