Rally to Pass Hands-Free Mass

“PASS HANDS-FREE IN MASS NOW”

Advocacy Groups Gather at the Massachusetts State House to Push for Hands-Free Legislation in Massachusetts to End Deadly Distracted Driving Epidemic

WHEN: July 11, 2018

WHERE: Massachusetts State House Steps, 24 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02133

EVENT OVERVIEW:

In support of passing Hands-Free legislation in Massachusetts, members of advocacy groups committed to ending distracted driving, including TextLess Live More (textlesslivemore.org), Safe Roads Alliance (https://www.saferoadsalliance.org), Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition (http://www.visionzerocoalition.org), WalkBoston (https://walkboston.org), LivableStreets (https://www.livablestreets.info), MassBike (http://www.massbike.org), and Boston Cyclists Union (https://bostoncyclistsunion.org), will hold a press conference and rally on the steps of the Massachusetts State House to advocate for Hands-Free legislation in Massachusetts.

TextLess Live More, Safe Roads Alliance and Advocacy Groups call-to-action is for Hands-Free legislation to be put to a House Vote before July 31, 2018 - the last day of formal session for legislation that requires a roll call vote, as in the case of hands-free legislation.

Massachusetts is one of two New England states without Hands-free legislation. Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island have all passed Hands-Free legislation. Rhode Island’s Hands-Free law went into effect on June 1, 2018.

The Massachusetts Senate approved a bill (S.2103) which bans the use of handheld devices while driving in 2016 and 2017. Governor Baker endorsed hands-free legislation in November 2017, but the House Bill (H3660) which bans the use of handheld devices has been stalled and not brought to a vote. We are advocating for the House to bring hands-free legislation up for a vote.

JULY 11 SCHEDULE

12:30 - 1:00 pm - Press Conference “Pass Hands-Free in Mass”

• Remarks by Anna Cheshire Levitan and Richard Levitan, President of TextLess Live More and parents of Merritt Levitan, killed by a distracted driver in July 2013
• Remarks by Emily Stein, President of Safe Roads Alliance. Stein’s father was killed by a distracted driver
• Remarks by TextLess Live More, a student-led initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving

• Speakers will recognize the importance of Hands-Free Massachusetts, which will save lives and reduce crashes caused by distracted driving
• Acknowledge all Massachusetts families and friends of those lost to distracted driving
• Acknowledge 79% of Massachusetts voters who support a handheld ban, according to Massinc Polling
• Issue a Call-to-Action for the Massachusetts House of Representatives to bring Hands-Free legislation to a vote before the end of the formal session - July 31, 2018
• Answer Questions from the Press

July 2, 2018- Atlanta, Ga: The Levitan Family and TextLess Live More hold a press conference in recognition of the Hands-Free Georgia Act which went into effect July 1st at the Georgia State Capitol Monday, July 2, 2018. Their 18 year old daughter Merritt was killed by a distracted driver in July 2013. Merritt had recently graduated from Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts. Photo by JASON GETZ / GETZ IMAGES

1:15 - Massachusetts State House Visit - Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Pass Hands Free in Mass rally attendees will enter the Massachusetts State House to visit individual state representatives to lobby and voice support for Hands-Free legislation being put up for a vote before July 31, 2018.

Rally Attendees

• Emily Stein, Präsident of Safe Roads Alliance
• Richard and Anna Cheshire Levitan, Merritt Levitan’s parents
• Student Members of TextLess Live More
• Students at TEEP - Trinity Excellence in Education Program - Trinity Boston Foundation
• Priscilla Andrade, TEEP Program Director, Trinity Boston Foundation
• Pass Hands Free in Mass Advocacy Groups

ABOUT TEXTLESS LIVE MORE

TextLess Live More, a student-led, national awareness campaign to end distracted driving, was founded in honor of Merritt Levitan, an 18 year old young woman who was hit by a distracted driver in July 2013, nearly five years to the date of the Massachusetts Rally. Recognizing digital distraction and distracted driving as the critical issue facing their generation, Levitan’s high school friends at Milton Academy in Milton, Massachusetts, founded TextLess Live More in the aftermath of her death. TextLess Live More’s mission is to end distracted driving, prevent crashes associated with distracted driving, and save lives. TextLess Live More is a partner with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the nation’s premier youth and safety organization. TextLess Live More has been presented to schools and communities nationwide to increase awareness of distracted driving. www.textlesslivemore.org

CONTACT: Anna Cheshire Levitan

anna@textlesslivemore.org

617.571.7823

ABOUT SAFE ROADS ALLIANCE:

Safe Roads Alliance was formed in 2006 as a non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives through better driving. Safe Roads provides educational services to all drivers on different aspects of driving safely, including distracted driving, novice driver training and seatbelt use. It publishes The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program, a guidebook that is distributed in 24 states.

CONTACT: Emily Stein, emily@saferoadsalliance.org, 617.417.3689