Spotlight on MSD volunteers

Jon Cummings 
Founder of MSD and active volunteer

Jon and his wife Geri didn’t plan to be advocates for safe driving until their beloved son Phil was killed by a very drunk driver. Read the story http://mnsafedriving.com/our-stories/10-home/79.html. Jon started his advocacy journey with MADD and then saw a need to help all victims and survivors of traffic crashes; so he and his wife Geri and other advocates started Minnesotans for Safe Driving (MSD) in 2000.

All of those at MSD have areas of advocacy that they are passionate about and for Jon that is speaking. He feels that he has a message that needs to be heard by all people from all walks of life, whether they are members of a business or social group, a high school class or assembly, DWI offenders at panels, or inmates in prison. All of these people drive on our highways and could be offenders or victims at one time or another. Jon says, “What I try to get across when I speak is that I am no different than the people I address. We are all at risk and no one is immune from the impaired or distractive driver and the saddest part is that none of these tragedies have to happen if drivers would do what they know is right and do what they've been taught to do.”

The normal routine for Jon is speaking at the Dakota and Hennepin County First Time Offender Panels, the Victim Impact Panels in Hennepin, Dakota, Scott and Isanti counties, plus the teen panel at AAA in St. Louis Park. If that isn’t a full enough schedule he also speaks at the River Place Treatment center in Elk River, various police departments, the training center for the State Patrol and is also the only advocate victim speaker that routinely speaks at all the prisons in the state. It is a good thing for Minnesotans that Jon is retired and has the time to spread his message of safety while driving.

You will also see Jon at the Capitol along with Nancy and Sharon from MSD trying to encourage legislators to pass important traffic safety bills such as Ignition Interlock, Graduated Driver License, Primary Seatbelts, and Enhancement of the penalty for negligent driving.

Jon, like so many of MSD’s other volunteers, feel that the act of “doing something and trying to make a difference” is a big reason that he was able to move through the grief process with a good attitude and a feeling of accomplishment.

DISTRACTED DRIVING-- ARE YOU AT FAULT?
By Nancy Johnson, Pres. MSD

Talking on your cell phone, texting, eating, putting on makeup, looking away from the road, etc., etc., etc., THESE ARE ALL FORMS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING and they are becoming the leading cause of death and injuries on our roadways. Even though no one plans to cause a crash; that would be attempted murder, the reality is that most drivers don’t drive safely nor do they obey all the traffic laws. When a crash happens, it is perceived to be “a tragic accident.” An accident is defined to be “an unexpected or unintended happening.” When a driver violates traffic laws or chooses to not pay full attention to driving, the results of those actions are not an accident. When a serious crash happens to you, your life and the life of your family changes dramatically. There may be medical and certainly emotional issues to deal with and having great auto and home insurance will help you financially recover from the aftermath of a crash; but your life may never be the same. So it is most important to prevent the crash from happening in the first place.

At one time drunk driving was acceptable, just an accident, and over 50% of fatal crashes were alcohol related.  That started to change when victims, surviving family members, and those who didn’t want to be victims of these crashes said “This is not acceptable, it has to stop!”  These advocates pushed the Legislatures across the country to create and strengthen laws to make them address the seriousness of drunk driving and they also went to the public to encourage them to change behaviors. It was a difficult process but it is working and now instead of 50% alcohol involvement it is down to less than a third of fatal traffic crashes; 32% last year in Minnesota. We all need to do this again for non- alcohol related crashes.  Join us at MSD to make this change.

Driving has become a habit and a “secondary” activity. This is wrong! Driving must always be your number one priority. Besides texting, most other forms of distracted driving are not against the law except when a crash happens.

Is a life worth picking up that CD from the floor, putting on your makeup, communicating or texting while driving!!! Do you want to be in the position to have to apologize to the victim’s family in court or cause suffering to your family when they are notified of your death or the suffering you may have to go through because of the serious injury that you caused yourself?

A lot of talk surrounds the issue of cell phone use while driving. Many people think that hands- free cell phone use is the answer. According to every study I have seen, the problem is with the intensity of the conversation not how the phone is being held. Of course looking down to dial a number is distractive as is anytime your eyes leave the road.  Many of us think that our time in the car could be used more productively doing our work or family calls along with driving, but lives are at risk when we multi-task, and no call is worth a life.  Remember, keeping your eyes on the road isn’t enough unless your attention is also on the road.

We need the public’s help in this movement to decrease traffic crashes.  Everyone needs to first buckle-up, it’s your first line of defense against the impaired and distracted driver, secondly focus 100% on your driving, be a role model for your kids, and thirdly, speak out to friends, relatives and your legislators as to the seriousness of driving safely. Traffic crashes are NOT accidents they are preventable.

Minnesotans for Safe Driving is against all distraction while driving