Traffic School

Talking about my platform, "Ready Behind the Wheel," in Orem Traffic Schools is AMAZING and INVIGORATING! Each week I have several opportunities to connect with Orem citizens about the dangers of distracted driving and to encourage them to PLEDGE to being ready behind the wheel each time they turn the ignition of the cars. The Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Highway Patrol reports the state's traffic fatalities every year. In 2011, 233 people died on Utah roads. In 2010, there were 235 deaths. A major contributing factor in these deaths is distracted driving. We can do better than this.

I strongly believe that the best way to end distracted driving is to EDUCATE drivers and passengers about the dangers and consequences of distracted driving.

I urge class members to pledge to make their cars a "NO PHONE ZONE" and give out car window stickers to help act as a reminder and to raise awareness.

If everyone were to watch the story of Reggie Shaw (link below) and the fatalities due to texting while driving, it would encourage them to commit to always being

READY BEHIND THE WHEEL!

Love, Hannah Harkness

Miss Orem 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OjQrR_9TA4

Traffic School

Presenting my platform, "Ready Behind the Wheel" in the Orem Traffic Schools is going STRONG! The Orem Department of Public Safety, Traffic Division has been so incredibly supportive and helpful. Last week I was able to work with Sgt. Weech.
The classes are always able to come up with a list of common distractions while driving; eating, personal hygiene like shaving or putting on make-up, reading books or magazines, changing clothes and of course using cell phones and texting.

But the class members are surprised when we give the statistics that talking on a cellular phone while driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk.

Researchers have documented that the problem of talking on cell phones while driving is "distraction of the mind." It takes 31% of our mind AWAY FROM DRIVING when we are talking on our cell phones. That increases drivers' crash risk FOUR TIMES.

We need to make driving our primary focus and be ready behind the wheel each time we turn on the ignition of our cars.

Love, Hannah Harkness

Miss Orem 2011

Traffic School Presentation

Recently I had the opportunity to talk about my platform, "Ready Behind the Wheel" to a group of Traffic School participants. Sgt. Wade Raab of the Orem Department of Public Safety, Traffic Division was leading the 3-hour class.

I spoke about the prevalence and dangers of distracted driving. Did you know that in Utah there is a distracted driving crash roughly every 100 minutes? We can do better than this.

I had the class list common driving distractions they have noticed while driving: eating, shaving, putting on make-up, changing music, changing clothes, talking on cell phones and texting.

I told the class the devastating story of a personal friend of mine whose life was changed forever by a distracted driver.

I urged the class members to commit to making their cars a "NO PHONE ZONE" and handed out window stickers for their cars.

Each of us can commit to focusing on the road and being ready behind the wheel each time we turn on the ignition of our cars.

Love, Hannah Harkness

Miss Orem 2011