News & Events

North Memorial Aims to Reduce Distracted Driving with the "Great Hang Up"

North Memorial is proud to team up with Health Fair 11 as one of the sponsors of the "Great Hang Up" campaign this summer. The campaign’s goal is to reduce distracted driving by asking viewers to take a pledge to stop using wireless devices while driving.

"I will not text, e-mail or talk on my phone while I am driving," the pledge says. "I understand that driving while distracted is dangerous to me, my passengers and to others on the road. I will do my best to pass this message on to others I care about."

"North Memorial is proud to be a sponsor of KARE-11’s new distracted driving prevention campaign," says Alison Pence, Injury Prevention Coordinator at North Memorial. "Our participation in this program is important because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury and death for Minnesotans under the age of 33. And according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, texting while driving results in car crashes that kill an average of 11 American teens each day. Such an important issue deserves a community-wide response."

While it is illegal to text or check e-mails while driving in Minnesota, it is not illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving. Still, state safety officials say talking on the phone, even if it’s on a hands-free device, can be dangerous.

Learn more about distracted driving or take the pledge today!