Feb 27, 2008 College News: Stephen Hargarten, MD, MPH, Chairman of Emergency Medicine, Director of the Injury Research Center, participated in a news conference on February 18, 2008, in Washington, D.C., urging governors and legislators to enact higway safety laws.
Dr. Hargarten, who is also Director of the Firearm Injury Center, joined members of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety to hold the news conference in conjunction with the release of its report, 2008 Roadmap to State Highway Safety Laws.
The report gives each state a report card based on its adoption of 15 key traffic safety laws requiring seat belt, motorcycle helmet, and booster seat use, as well as effective teen driving and impaired driving restrictions. Advocates state passage of these 15 laws will help prevent these tragedies and, at the same time, save states billions of dollars in economic costs associated with highway crashes.
Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin launched a campaign in 2008 called "The Just Drive! Program to encourage safer driving among teenagers and their parents. The program highlights the dangers of distracted driving and encourages parents and teens to eliminate those distractions.