CATA Member Ellen Hobbs Hirshman Presenting on Distracted Driving

The students were very attentive and vocal in discussing the daily hazards they confront when driving or travelling as a passenger with a distracted driver.

They were especially impacted by the video testimonials from teenagers who have caused the death of others because they made a selfish choice to drive distracted.

The students agreed to take home the Family Safe Driving Agreement to discuss the issue further with their parents and siblings.  Together we can change the face of driving in this country.

Check out all the photos from the event on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandTrialAttorneys/

The young men were impacted by the message that the many deaths and injuries attributable to distracted driving are preventable. They understand that we each need to make safer choices about how we drive and how we permit others to drive when we are traveling as a passenger.

The students also received a copy of the Family Safe Driving Agreement, which they will take home to discuss with their families.

We CAN make a difference about the choices people make when driving. Together we can prevent further injuries and deaths.

Please comment below, or check out this post on Facebook, to let us know what you think, or if you would like more information: www.facebook.com/ClevelandTrialAttorneys.

An astonishing 54% of kids in greater Cleveland live in poverty, the second highest amount of any big city. CATA knows that reaching out and helping these children is just one way to make a difference and assist those in need. In fact, one of the teachers at the event on Monday thanked CATA for appreciating the fact that every day there are families in Cleveland struggling to make ends meet. Juggling their limited funds is especially difficult during this holiday season. We were reminded that providing these children with brand new shoes, boots and socks is not only appreciated, but necessary. One of the moms in attendance at the event thanked CATA personally telling us that her children were in desperate need of new boots. The smiles on the faces of the children is thanks enough!

I, along with CATA President Kathy St. John, and CATA board member Todd Gurney, had a blast assisting all the children as they were measured for the correct shoe size, picked out a pair of shoes or boots that appealed to them (action figures were in high demand) and tried on their new shoes and boots. The children were also given new pairs of socks, followed by a snack. CATA will be sponsoring a 2nd giveaway event during the Christmas break at which time they will be providing new shoes and boots for another 50 school-aged children. It is so rewarding to give back to our community.

Below are just a few of the photos from the event.  Check out the CATA Facebook Page for the rest!

It is a powerful and effective presentation that moves me every time I present.  I start the presentation by telling the students that I am not here to TELL them how to drive.  I do not like it when people tell me what to do and I am not doing that.  I explain that I am providing them with information so they may make informed choices the next time they drive.  I also will start my presentation by telling the students that distracted driving is NOT a teen problem.  It’s an adult problem.  We, as parents/adults have set a poor example.  We have been poor role models in this regard and we need to start making smarter, safer choices when driving. I also admit to the students that I also was a distracted driver and set a poor example for my 3 sons; and I explain how I changed the way I approach driving.

It is an interactive program that was designed along with child psychologists from CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) with the goal of reaching out to students and capturing their attention. The power point has been revised numerous times based on pre and post presentation surveys received from more than 2500 teens.   It is a science–based presentation designed to engage teens and maximize the likelihood of changing attitudes and behaviors. The presentation is based on health communication and behavior change theory and incorporates teen messaging concepts to engage and appeal to teens in a non-confrontational manner.

I toss out wristbands to the students as they participate to encourage participation.  The presentation itself combines scientific data, testimonials and a little humor (in appropriate places).  At the end of the presentation, I usually discuss a Family Safe Driving Agreement (attached hereto) and ask the schools to discuss the issue with their students in smaller groups and have them take home the agreement to share with their families.  You see, we educate the students not only that they may make safer driving choices, but as a passenger, they do not have to let people drive them distracted!

And the students have been very receptive to the program.  Karen Roxbury from Gilmour Academy wrote to me recently to let me know that the dialogue is ongoing at the Gilmour community.  I was moved by her note:

Heather Giel at Our Lady of the Elms emailed me today and said the program “WAS A HIT!”  Their students liked the fact that I did not “speak down to them”, but rather spoke honestly about my history of distracted driving and the lengths I had to go through to change my approach to driving.   Even their faculty is reevaluating how they drive.

Together, we can change the way we drive and create a safer community!

Here is the EndDD Safe Driving Agreement we use: EndDD Safe Driving Agreement

The Cleveland Academy of Trial Attorneys and I were invited to present the End Distracted Driving program www.enddd.org at Our Lady of the Elms in Akron, Ohio yesterday afternoon, October 27, 2015.  The 200 students (7^th graders through 12^th graders) and faculty were profoundly moved by the testimonials and data contained in the presentation.

The students will be taking home the Family Safe Driving Agreement to discuss safer choices to make when driving and when being driven.

CATA is making a difference and changing the way people drive!

To see all the photos of the event, visit the CATA Facebook Page.

See photos from the presentation on the CATA Facebook Page.

Today I gave an End Distracted Driving presentation with CATA members Steve Crandall and Paul Grieco.  We reached 135 high school students in Pepper Pike, Ohio at Fuchs Mizrachi. The students were very receptive to the message that we all must make a choice to drive responsibly. The students left the presentation with a lot to think about and hopefully will choose to alter the way they drive and counsel others to stop driving distracted.  YES WE CAN!

@end_dd @CleveTrialAttys @SafeDriveHome @OAJustice End Distracted Driving presentation today Fuchs Mizrachi School pic.twitter.com/4Z1ms4ZAtV

— Ellen Hobbs Hirshman (@ellenhobbs) March 27, 2015