Edmunds.com Explores Distracted Driving Issues, Attempts to Broaden DOT's Discussion
Edmunds.com Explores Distracted Driving Issues, Attempts to Broaden DOT's Discussion
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — September 21, 2010 — Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood hosted a summit on distracted driving, presumably in an attempt to spur further legislation on the issue. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, hopes to broaden the discussion despite receiving no response to a letter sent to Secretary LaHood last week. The letter can be found at http://beta.edmunds.com/car-news/distracted-driving-summit-letter.html.
“Unfortunately, the solution to the problem of distracted drivers can't be boiled down to the automotive equivalent of 'just say no.' There's more to driver distraction than just electronics, and many dangerous driver behaviors don't involve technology at all -- and at this point, asking drivers to go on a tech-starvation diet is probably a losing battle,” said Edmunds.com Features Editor Carroll Lachnit, who explores hands-free technology and other considerations for car shoppers at http://beta.edmunds.com/car-safety/distraction-debate-drives-search-for-solutions.html.
“Most automakers already have mature systems in place to enable hands-free phoning and manipulation of media players, with Ford Motor Company's 'Sync' system being perhaps the best-branded solution,” noted Edmunds' AutoObserver.com Senior Editor Bill Visnic, who covered the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Distracted Driving Summit at http://www.autoobserver.com/2010/09/transportation-secretary-says-distracted-driving-crackdown-must-go-further.html.
“'Distracted driving' is a nice blameless way to describe a problem that really should be termed 'irresponsible driving,'” commented Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl in his blog posting on the subject at http://justtoclarify.typepad.com/my-blog/2010/09/is-the-distracted-driving-summit-a-distraction.html.
“Regulation may be necessary, but not without a full vetting of alternatives,” stated Anwyl. “To a regulator, regulations are always the best solutions, but in truth, they are burdensome and intrusive on personal freedoms and should require a high bar of evaluation before being adopted.”
About Edmunds (http://www.edmunds.com/about/)
Edmunds.com publishes four Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, launched in 1995 as the first automotive information Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.edmunds.com, makes car pricing and other research tools available for car shoppers at dealerships and otherwise on the go. InsideLine.com is the most-read automotive enthusiast Web site. Its mobile site, accessible from any smartphone at www.insideline.com, features the wireless Web's highest quality car photos and videos. CarSpace is the most established automotive social networking Web site. AutoObserver.com provides insightful automotive industry commentary and analysis. Edmunds is headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and maintains a satellite office in suburban Detroit. Follow Edmunds.com on Twitter@edmunds and fan Edmunds.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/edmunds.
