With a little over a month to go until Minnesotans must put down their cell phones while driving, the Minnesota Safety Council is ready to be your resource as you tell this life-saving story. Here are tools we have available for journalists as we prepare for the August 1 effective date of Minnesota’s Hands-Free Cell Phone law:
Expert interviews in person or by telephone:
*Paul Aasen, Minnesota Safety Council president, can talk about how the new law will help saves lives on Minnesota’s roads.
*Lisa Kons, Minnesota Safety Council Traffic Safety Program manager, knows the practical side of going hands-free and can demonstrate how drivers can adapt their cell phones and vehicles to comply with the new law.
*Family members of individuals killed in distracted driving incidents involving cell phones can share their personal stories of why they fought tirelessly for passage of this new law and turned their grief into safer Minnesota roads.
Visuals
*Downloadable how-to video clip demonstrating ways to adapt cell phones and equip vehicles for hands-free cell phone use. https://youtu.be/OFG1rrLUBWM
*Driver resources:
*Minnesota Safety Council Hands-Free Resource page features how-to information sheets for drivers, employers and those under age 18. https://www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org/traffic/handsfree.cfm.
*The Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety has additional materials available at HandsFreeMN.org.
