Renowned experts from around the world will converge in Roanoke next week to discuss solutions to the issue of distracted driving. The 7th Annual Distracted Driving Summit is being held on September 25-26 at the Hotel Roanoke. The event, organized by DRIVE SMART Virginia, is an opportunity to focus on saving lives by eliminating distracted driving.
“This Summit will address many different facets in the fight against distracted driving, all of which are extremely important,” says Janet Brooking, Executive Director of DRIVE SMART Virginia. “From law enforcement efforts to corporate policies to technology to identifying the problem through research and data, we must be willing to take a multi-pronged approach to saving lives on our roadways. We can make a difference if we work together.”
The Summit will open on Wednesday, September 25th, with presentations from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Director Dr. Tom Dingus and National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg. (A detailed listing of all speaker biographies can be found here. The first general session panel is entitled, “The Making of a Law and Its Impact.” Speakers on the panel include:
- Rob Bohannon, Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP
- Christina Dempsey, Three Ribbons for Three Reasons
- Chief Doug Goodman, Ashland Police Department
- Charlie Klauer, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
- Jennifer Smith, org
The first Thursday morning panel is entitled, “Technology: Helpful or Hindrance?” and speakers include:
- Frank Cruice, Perdue Farms
- Ian Reagan, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- David Strayer, University of Utah
The final panel on Thursday morning is entitled, “New and Innovative Strategies to Combat Distraction” and speakers include:
- Joel Feldman, EndDD
- Jessica Kearney, Travelers Institute
- Ben Kotrc, TrueMotion
The closing plenary speaker is National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regional administrator Stephanie Hancock, who is expected to offer motivational remarks on next steps and action items.
Cutting edge breakout session tracks focus on research and technology, targeted populations, corporate and community strategies, and law enforcement. To view session descriptions, visit here. More information on the event and event registration can be found at drivesmartva.org. To arrange to interview specific speakers, please reach out to Janet Brooking at 804-929-6117 or [email protected].
