October 6, 2009

Dr. Tamyra Pierce, an associate professor of mass communications and journalism at California State University, Fresno, is planning her next research after participating in the U.S. Department of Transportation Distracted Driving Summit in Washington, D.C.

The conference, convened Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, addressed dangers of text messaging and other driver distractions, which he said claimed more than 6,000 lives and injured a half-million people in the past year.

The summit brought together more than 300 senior transportation officials, elected representatives, safety advocates, law enforcement officers and academics. Pierce was among only 14 university representatives invited to the summit – and the only one from a California school.

Pierce was invited because of her study, “Texting and Driving: A Dangerous Combination,” presented in July. It showed that college students willfully break state law by using cell phones to text or check e-mail while driving, even though more than two in three said they have experienced adverse consequences of doing so.

Summit participants heard from victims of distracted driving and from drivers who caused injury or death by driving while texting. Also presented was the previously publicized study of distracted driving in which 600 cars were equipped with video cameras to document visual (taking eyes off the road), manual (hands off the wheel) and cognitive (mind off the road and driving) distractions.

Summit participants discussed how strictly enforced regulations could curb distracted driving, coupled with increased public awareness that would include a national public service campaign and extend into schools and driver education programs.

LaHood said, “We aren’t going to break all their bad habits but we are going to raise awareness.”

Pierce spoke at the summit with California lawmakers, safety advocates and law enforcement representatives about her research. “I stressed the need for not only laws but also programs and campaigns that would help change drivers’ behaviors and instill in them the need to refrain from doing things to distract them while driving,” said Pierce.

The information, research, technological advancements, and proposals and stories about victims of districted drivers gave Pierce ideas to shape her next study.

She said, “Although more laws will be implemented, it is important to continue the research in order to better educate all drivers on the negative effects of distracted driving.”