BATON ROUGE, La. – Put down that cell phone, Louisiana! During the month of September, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) will urge drivers to focus on safety while driving with the sixth installment of the “Wreck Less, Louisiana” public service announcement (PSA) campaign. The new PSAs are aimed at raising awareness of the dangers associated with distracted driving.

The goal of the “Wreck Less, Louisiana” PSA campaign is to promote driver safety and awareness on Louisiana’s roadways to prevent the nearly 1,000 motor-vehicle fatalities that occur each year. The campaign is tackling six highway safety issues that are major contributors to crashes. DOTD officials believe the PSAs will reduce crashes by influencing driver behavior. Each month of the campaign, which began in April, features a new highway safety issue with a separate PSA for print, radio and television. 

Distracted driving contributed to 443,361 crashes in Louisiana between 2001 and 2005. According to Louisiana crash reports, more than 1,200 people died as a result of these crashes. The distracted driving PSAs reach out to drivers who talk on cell phones and text message while driving, considering them an “accident waiting to happen.” The message for drivers is to focus on the road and to drive safely.

The “Wreck Less, Louisiana” monthly campaign topics are scheduled as follows: Work-Zone Safety, Pedestrian Safety, Move It Law, Speeding, Tailgating and Driver Distraction. The distracted driving PSAs will end the first flight of the “Wreck Less, Louisiana” campaign.

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www.dotd.la.gov