The Great First Coast Hang Up

At First Coast News, we've heard from you, our viewers, about your concerns regarding dangerous driving in Northeast Florida. In particular, distracted driving caused by cell phone use. We have seen too many stories about serious accidents that happen because someone is texting while driving. Texting while driving is dangerous, even deadly.

That's why First Coast News is proud to present The Great First Coast Hang Up, presented by Shands Jacksonville - Trauma One.

Here is what we would like you to do: Make a pledge to stop texting while driving. Or take it a step further to pledge to do your best not to use your cell phone at all while driving. Making a pledge could save your life or someone else's. It's easy. http://www.firstcoastnews.com/feature/hangup/ You can sign it and keep it in your car as a reminder. Ask your family, coworkers, congregation and clubs to do the same.

We encourage everyone - teens, schools, moms, dads, organizations and businesses throughout our community - to join the movement. Be part of The Great First Coast Hang Up!

And after you've joined The Great First Coast Hang Up, share your story with us about why you made the pledge.


Shands Jacksonville - TraumaOne want you to be part of The Great First Coast Hang Up
The region's only Level I trauma center, TraumaOne sees more patients from car crashes than from any other reasons combined. And with the rise in cell phone use and texting while driving, the number of accident victims passing through our doors is also rising. Distracted driving is dangerous?and sometimes deadly. Studies by government agencies, universities and other organizations have the facts to back it up:


Using a cell phone while driving can delay a person's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured.

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.

Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.

Eighty percent of all crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some type of distraction.

Texting and Driving PSA Contest

Local students have created Public Service Announcements about distracted driving. Watch the videos and vote for your favorite at http://www.firstcoastteens.com