To Prepare for Prom, Teens Commit to Safe Driving and Spread Message to Others
(Hauppauge, NY) – Students from Hauppauge High School gathered to hear New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) member Matthew Zullo speak on the dangers of distracted driving on Wednesday. All students attending prom are taking part in the event to promote safe and responsible driving. Zullo spoke to students as part of NYSTLA’s involvement with the national End Distracted Driving campaign.
Distracted driving is not just texting or using your cell phone. Just a few seconds spent changing the music or reaching for a drink can cause drivers to lose control. Zullo highlighted past tragedies where distracted driving resulted in the loss of life and encouraged teens to commit to safe driving to prevent accidents. He urged students and parents to spread information to others.
“As we approach prom season, it’s more important than ever that ALL drivers realize that just a few seconds behind the wheel can change a life,” said Matthew Zullo. “I’m glad to be here working with students, parents, and teachers to raise awareness of this critical issue.”
“NYSTLA members see firsthand the devastation that can result from inattentive driving and how much it would help if people focused on safety,” said Michael Jaffe, President of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. “This makes us the perfect fit to discuss these issues with others. NYSTLA is taking part in this program to give back to our community, to help make it safe and to try to prevent unnecessary and harmful accidents. Educating teens about the dangers of distracted driving is one of the best ways we’ve come across to help make that happen. We’re trying to stop the disaster before it happens.”
Pennsylvania trial lawyer Joel Feldman started the distracted driving campaign after his twenty-one year old daughter Casey was struck and killed by a distracted driver in 2009. The campaign focuses on a powerpoint presentation containing the stories of victims of distracted driving and engages students on improving their own driving ability. Trial lawyer associations from across the country, including Rhode Island, Indiana and Pennsylvania have joined the End Distracted Driving campaign to educate teens on safe driving. Nearly 50,000 students across the country have viewed the presentation.
ABOUT THE NEW YORK STATE TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1953, NYSTLA’s thousands of members work to promote a safer and healthier society, to assure access to the civil justice system by those who are wrongfully injured and to advance representation of the public by ethical, well-trained lawyers. NYSTLA works to assure that the wrongfully injured will have full access to the civil justice system. The organization is dedicated to the preservation of federal and state constitutional rights to trial by jury. NYSTLA fights to see that injured people are not barred from the civil justice system; that wrongdoers are not immunized from liability; that juries are free to determine the proper amount of compensation without arbitrary legislative interference; and that obstacles are not placed in the way of litigating all meritorious claims.
