HR 439 — A Resolution designating the month of April 2026 as "Distracted Driving Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.    3013

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 439
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY NEILSON, SANCHEZ, WAXMAN, MAYES, HARKINS, KHAN,
        MALAGARI, DEASY, GUZMAN, K. HARRIS, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS,
        CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA AND PASHINSKI, MARCH 16, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, MARCH 18, 2026


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating the month of April 2026 as "Distracted Driving
 2      Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
 3         WHEREAS, Distracted driving is considered any activity that
 4   diverts attention away from the primary task of safe driving;
 5   and
 6         WHEREAS, Anything can be a potential distraction but common
 7   examples of distracted driving include talking or texting on the
 8   phone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers in the
 9   vehicle, grooming or applying makeup and using the vehicle's
10   entertainment or navigation system; and
11         WHEREAS, Texting is considered the greatest distraction as
12   sending or reading a text takes a driver's eyes off the road for
13   five seconds; and
14         WHEREAS, At an average speed of 55 miles per hour, a driver
15   can travel the length of an entire football field in five
16   seconds; and
17         WHEREAS, According to data compiled by the Department of
 1   Transportation, there were 9,950 crashes Statewide in 2024 that
 2   involved a distracted driver; and
 3      WHEREAS, These crashes resulted in 49 fatalities; and
 4      WHEREAS, National data compiled by the National Highway
 5   Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that 3,275 people
 6   lost their lives in 2023 as a result of distracted driving,
 7   making distracted driving one of the leading causes of
 8   preventable roadway deaths in America; and
 9      WHEREAS, According to the Department of Transportation, young
10   drivers are over-represented in typical distracted driving
11   associated type crashes such as rear-end crashes, head-on
12   collisions and hitting fixed objects; and
13      WHEREAS, In an effort to educate all current and future
14   drivers on the importance of safe driving habits and the dangers
15   of distracted driving, the month of April has been designated as
16   "Distracted Driving Awareness Month" by NHTSA; and
17      WHEREAS, "Distracted Driving Awareness Month" is recognized
18   in this Commonwealth by the Governor's Office, PennDOT, the
19   Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
20   and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, all of which have
21   shared resources and have encouraged safe driving to save lives;
22   therefore be it
23      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
24   month of April 2026 as "Distracted Driving Awareness Month" in
25   Pennsylvania; and be it further
26      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage
27   Pennsylvanians to drive responsibly by focusing on the road and
28   not on their phones or other distractions and to have
29   conversations with their friends and family about the dangers of
30   distracted driving.

20260HR0439PN3013                 - 2 -