Crime & Safety

Getting Distracted Drivers' Attention

Weston Police Chief John Troxell wants town officers, students and parents to be part of the End Distracted Driving Student Awareness Initiative.

Casey Feldman, 21, was walking to a summer job in Ocean City, N.J. in July of 2009. After a driver rolled to a stop at a four-way intersection, Casey thought it was safe to cross. But when she was a quarter of the way from the other side, the driver took his eyes off the road. While reaching for an iced tea, he accelerated and struck the young woman.


Joel Feldman lost his daughter that day.

"My daughter was killed by a distracted driver," the trial attorney told members of the Weston Police Commission over a conference call on Tuesday night. "One day I said to myself, 'I'm telling this sad story, but I'm not doing anything to change behavior.'"

Feldman started a pilot program called the End Distracted Driving Student Awareness Initiative to educate people all over the country about the dangers of distracted driving.

"It's really a special way to remember our daughter," Feldman said.

Weston Police Chief John Troxell told the commission he wants to combat distracted driving on two fronts, through enforcement and education. He wants Feldman's initiative to be part of the latter.

"I'm looking for your endorsement because it's a good program that doesn't cost any money," Troxell said.

Feldman said the program depends on volunteers and is funded through his foundation and donations.

Joel Faxon, a police commission member in Newtown, wants to train Weston officers. Troxell said he can talk to Supt. of Schools Dr. Colleen Palmer to see if the program could also be taught in the town's schools.

Jeff Eglash, a Weston Police Commission member, said he also believes parents should be more aware of the problem of distracted driving and suggested a presentation be shown the PTAs too.

A Video Presentation

Christina Acampora, a representative of the Distracted Driving Enforcement Initiative, showed police commissioners snippets of the presentation Tuesday night.

It begins with a clip a passenger took showing a bus driver balancing papers on his steering wheel and writing on it while driving. Acampora said this is a reminder that distracted driving includes more than texting and talking on a cell phone.

The next video segment covered the tragic story of a 61-year-old father dying after being struck by a 17-year-old driver, who was distracted by her GPS unit and didn't see him.

The presentation also used humor to get its point across. One commercial shows a quarterback drop back to pass and make a long throw down field. His receiver seems oblivious to the game action as he walks around with his head down, his eyes glued to his cell phone.

The football smacks the receiver on the side of his helmet just before he's jumped on by would-be tacklers. A message on the screen says: Texting Doesn't Belong on the Field or the Road Either.

Commissioners expressed support of using the initiative in town, but wanted a chance to see the full presentation. Feldman said he will email Troxell a link, which he can forward to commission members.

For information on the End Distracted Driving Initiative, visit EndDD.org.


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