Forum to focus on attentive driving

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will hold a one-day forum on the timely topic of reducing driver distractions.

“Attentive Driving: Countermeasures for Distraction” will be held on March 27 in Washington, D.C.

"In generations past, the norm was an attentive driver with occasional distractions, but today, distractions are competing full-time for the driver's attention," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said. "Our forum will identify how distractions affect behavior behind the wheel and focus on measures that promote attentive driving."

The event will look at the broad range of distractions that compete for drivers’ attention, characterize the various distracted-driver laws and discuss the differences in how states have adopted restrictions. The forum will also explore national and state education campaigns and consider the effectiveness of active safety technology currently being deployed in vehicles.

Officials said that the forum offers an opportunity for researchers and industry to discuss the Visual-Manual Driver Distraction Guidelines recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Panelists in the forum will represent federal and state government and law enforcement, as well as researchers and industry groups. A detailed agenda and list of participants will be released closer to the date of the event.

The forum will be held in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center, located at 429 L'Enfant Plaza S.W. in D.C. The public will be able to view the forum in person or by webcast at www.ntsb.gov.

The NTSB recently called for the first-ever nationwide ban on driver use of personal electronic devices — including hands-free devices — while operating a motor vehicle.