Safe BTW Responds to Call for Traffic Safety Summit

Safe BTW, Inc., a coalition founded by healthcare providers dedicated to identifying and supporting innovative strategies to improve driver safety, announced today that it will convene the North American Safe Driving Summit™ May 15-17, 2013, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The announcement coincides with a call from Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) National President Jan Withers for a summit of leading traffic safety organizations and companies committed to keeping roads safe.

"We intend for the North American Safe Driving Summit™ to be an issue-focused gathering of influentials committed to advancing safe driving technologies, policies, programs, and practices through education," Driving Summit spokesperson Donna Kelley said.

Individuals invited to participate in the North American Safe Driving Summit™ will include transportation and technology executives, policy makers, law enforcement officials, researchers, academics, human resources professionals, risk management personnel, not-for-profit and community leaders, and drivers. Discussions will highlight cutting-edge technologies, governmental and corporate policies, educational and risk management programs, and practical tips for improving driver awareness and safety.

"The mission of traffic safety organizations such as Safe BTW and MADD is more crucial than ever," Kelley said. Almost 30 people in the United States die in car crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver every day. In 2010 alone, 11,948 people in the U.S. were killed in crashes that involved drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher.

According to a recent report released by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), drug tests came back positive for one third of all drivers involved in fatal accidents who were tested.

In 2009, distracted driving led to the deaths of more than 5,400 people and the injuries of 448,000 people. Of those killed or injured, nearly 1,000 deaths and 24,000 injuries resulted from cell phone distractions.

In 2009, 832 fatalities resulted from drowsy driving. Over a five year period, although the number of fatalities has decreased slightly, the proportion of drowsy driving crashes remains relatively consistent, running between 2.3% and 2.7% of all driving fatalities.

"The North American Safe Driving Summit™ will enable participants to debate ideas, come to consensus, and then move forward together in advancing best practices proven to be effective in improving driver safety," Kelley said.

The Driving Summit has issued an International Call for Presenters, which is available at www.drivingsummit.org. Participant registration opens August 15, 2012.

About Safe BTW, Inc.

Safe BTW, Inc. is a broad coalition founded by healthcare providers in 2003 as the Coalition to End Needless Death on Our Roadways (END). Safe BTW is dedicated to identifying and supporting innovative strategies to improve driver safety. We conduct thoughtful analysis and public outreach, leveraging consensus-based policy recommendations to prevent drug- or alcohol-impaired, distracted, and drowsy driving. Visit our website at www.safebtw.org.

About the North American Safe Driving Summit™

The mission of the North American Safe Driving Summit™ is to enable participants to exchange ideas and share resources; to foster consensus and build coalitions; to highlight market-based technologies and solutions; and to advance best practices proven to be effective in improving driver safety. The Driving Summit will showcase and build upon the progress traffic safety leaders have made to date, and broaden the array of stakeholders committed to implementing collaborative traffic safety plans. The Driving Summit will take place May 15-17, 2013, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The Driving Summit is hosted by the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Safe BTW, Inc. Visit www.drivingsummit.org for more information.