When: Press Conference between 9:30 – 10 a.m. on Friday, March 31
(Early Morning Live Shots Available Upon Request)
Where:
Alamo Stadium, Parking lot “A”
110 Tuleta Dr., San Antonio, TX 78212
Who:
AAA Texas Spokesperson Joshua Zuber
Crash Survivor Officer Jonathan Esquivel
Johnson High School Smart Driving Club Melinda Cox
Why:
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and AAA Texas, San Antonio Police and Johnson High School’s Smart Driving Club will encourage drivers to remain attentive behind the wheel, especially during the popular spring and summer driving seasons. According to the latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2020. That’s an average of nine lives lost each day, although experts believe the numbers are much higher. There is smartphone technology meant to prevent distracted driving, but most drivers don’t use it. A new AAA survey found 81% of drivers in the U.S. are aware of Driving Focus features on their phones which restrict calls and texts while driving, but 54% of drivers have never used the feature.
Visuals:
B-roll of distracted drivers
B-roll of texting while driving crashes
Pictures of Officer Esquivel's recovery