Noting more than 100,000 calls are placed every day to 911 from wireless phones, the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association has recognized May 22-28 as “Wireless Safety Week,” with an emphasis placed on awarding Good Samaritans who have used their wireless phones to help others.
“The industry has a responsibility to educate consumers on using their wireless phone safely, and Wireless Safety Week is one of many ways in which we are reaching out to the public with our safety message,” said Tom Wheeler, president and chief executive officer of CTIA. “From major highways to neighborhood streets, we are encouraging all drivers to not only act responsibly when using their wireless phone, but to take responsibility and use their phones to make a call when they see someone else in need.”
CTIA is honoring a few of these “safety heroes” with its VITA Wireless Samaritan Award, exemplifying the importance of putting safety first, as well as the important role people and wireless phones have in emergency situations.
Among those receiving an award are Colleena and Michael McHugh of Los Angeles, who used their wireless phone to notify police of a kidnapper’s van that had been profiled on a news report; Esther Green, who used her wireless phone to thwart a carjacking involving herself and her 10-month old daughter; 11-year old Shawn Presser, who used his father’s wireless phone to alert rescuers when they both fell 30 feet down a mountainside while hiking; and Chris Sadler, who used his wireless phone to report a drunk driver while driving home on a busy interstate.
New for this year’s safety week, CTIA announced its “Seven Days of Safety,” campaign, with an important aspect of safety highlighted each day of the week. Kicking off the week will be an emphasis on driver safety, followed by community safety, safety heroes, personal safety, workplace safety, emergency safety and classroom safety.
“Our largest issues have been over driver safety during safety week,” said Lisa Ihde, a spokeswoman for CTIA. “This time we are also putting emphasis on other safety aspects of wireless phone use as well. We are also launching a national radio campaign during drive-time hours promoting safe driving and wireless phone use. We have found that drivers are more prone to listening to safety advice during drive-time hours.”
