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Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan Presents Program on Distracted Driving at Austin Prep

Posted on: November 29, 2013 - 3:42pm
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan Presents Program on Distracted Driving at Austin Prep
District Attorney Ryan with Assistant Attorney General John Verner, Assistant District Attorney Sarah Fallon and students from Austin Prep who signed the pledge to never text and drive

READING – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan spoke to more than 500 students Monday at Austin Preparatory High School about the dangers of distracted driving as part of “It Can Wait,” an effort to prevent teens from texting while driving.

“We hope that the teens gain awareness that texting and driving is the most dangerous form of distracted driving,” District Attorney Ryan said.  “As District Attorney, I see firsthand the tragic results of distracted driving.  These tragedies can be prevented if we all commit to never to texting, emailing or taking our eyes off the road while behind the wheel.”

District Attorney Ryan warned students of the dangers of texting and driving. Students signed a pledge agreeing to never send a text message while driving, to never send text messages to friends who are driving and urge other family and friends to do the same.  Students, teachers and staff, were all urged to keep their cell phone out of reach anytime they are behind the wheel.

Distracted driving is the number one killer of teens between the ages of 16 and 19.  Texting and driving is an especially dangerous form of distracted driving as it takes your eyes off of the road, your hands off of the wheel, and takes your focus off of your driving.  Crashes are 23 times more likely to occur while texting and driving.

“It Can Wait” is an educational presentation sponsored by the MDAO and its non-profit partner, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. The program includes a powerful documentary produced by AT&T that features stories from individuals whose lives have been forever altered by texting while driving.

Reading Police Chief James Cormier, School Resource Officer Corey Santasky, John Verner, a former Middlesex Assistant District Attorney who is now Chief of the Criminal Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office, and Middlesex ADA Sarah Fallon, all joined District Attorney Ryan for the presentation.  Verner and Fallon are Austin Prep alumni.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 47 percent of adults admit that they have texted while driving.  

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office has presented “It Can Wait” to a number of schools across the county.  For more information on “It Can Wait,” visit http://middlesexda.com/