Long Beach is gearing up to seriously take the wheel against distracted driving. The California city's Health Department is getting a financial boost, securing a nifty $215,000 grant to tackle the ever-persistent problem of drivers texting, calling, and doing just about anything but keeping their eyes on the road, as reported by the Long Beach City website.
The cash infusion, courtesy of the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aims to rapidly expand educational programs and behavioral strategies aiming to reduce roadway mishaps caused by multitasking motorists. "Thank you to the Office of Traffic Safety for supporting our efforts to educate the community about the dangers of distracted driving," Mayor Rex Richardson was quoted as saying in the Long Beach City news release. "We must continue to work collectively to remind our community that putting your phone away while driving will save lives."
Dubbed GreenlightLB, this ambitious program plans to utilize the funds to invade high school campuses with teen traffic safety education, amp up their social media messaging, and forge partnerships with community leaders. The program sets its sights on high-octane change, attempting to level the field with bilingual and bicultural education efforts to ensure all Long Beach streets become bastions of vehicular responsibility. Alison King, Acting Director of the Health Department, told the Long Beach City press, "The efforts funded by OTS will set social norms for our youth, curb dangerous driving behaviors, and help create safer streets for everyone."
Last year, the program reached a commendable 1,500 community members, spreading its safety-first doctrine through presentations and workshops specifically tailored for the youth; perhaps most importantly, Long Beach boasted the graduation of 14 students from their Safe Streets Ambassador program. "Silence your phone and put it away while driving," Office of Traffic Safety Director Barbara Rooney urged in the official dispatch—a simple act yet possibly saving countless lives on the bustling streets.
The OTS grant marks the fourth consecutive year Long Beach has received support for its crusade against the scourge of distracted driving. With the purse strings now adequately loosened, the Department can continue to drive down the road of enlightenment, training community leaders and mobilizing resources to continue the relentless fight for the longevity and health of every commuter, pedestrian, and cyclist alike.
