GLOVERSVILLE, NY (09/20/2011)(readMedia)-- Nathan Littauer Hospital in conjunction with Fulton Montgomery Community College and Frontier Communications will be introducing the Brown Family to the community as they help carry the message about the dangers of distracted driving. In their first New York appearance, the "Remember Alex Brown Foundation", was organized by the family of teenager Alex Brown who tragically lost her life because of texting while driving. The family has been featured on the TODAY Show, OPRAH and Extreme Home Makeover. Justin Beiber recently became their spokesperson to help spread the word about the dangers of texting while driving and distracted driving. Invited by Nathan Littauer Hospital to the area, the father, mother and younger sister will be on hand to speak to reporters about their first New York appearances and their mission to stop people from distracted driving. The hospital has coordinated four assemblies to local school districts and two presentations to Fulton Montgomery Community College, one for students and one for the general public.

COMMUNITY EVENT: Thursday September 22, 2011

The hospital along with its partners is hosting and a public event, featuring the Browns, September 22, 2011 at 6pm at Fulton Montgomery Community College's College Union Building.

About Johnny Mac & Jeanne Brown and the Remember Alex Brown Foundation: Seventeen-year-old Alex Brown epitomized the All-American girl -- beautiful, smart, vivacious and beloved by everyone who knew her. Tragically her life and her dream of a career in broadcast journalism were cut short: In November 2009, she was killed in a single car accident. Those left behind include Alex's brave parents and her amazing younger sister. Dedicated to making sure no other family suffers such heartbreaking loss, the Browns turned their tragedy into something constructive, and today they travel to high schools to remind young people of the dangers of distracted driving. Their goal is simple: They want to save lives. They have now been seen on the TODAY show, Oprah, and Extreme Home Make Over.

Helpful links:

http://rememberalexbrownfoundation.org/

http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/The-Parents-of-Alex-Brown-Share-Their-Story-Video

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/44240337#44240337

phone guard promo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjiFmiF-VlE

Research on distracted driving reveals some surprising facts:

· 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA).

Of those killed in distracted-driving-related crashed, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes). (NHTSA)

· In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. (FARS and GES)

· The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving. (NHTSA)

· Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

· Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it's hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

References:

www.Distrcation.gov/stats and facts

WHO:	Nathan Littauer Hospital in conjunction with Fulton Montgomery Community College and Frontier Communications will be introducing the Brown Family to the community as they help carry the message about the dangers of distracted driving.
WHAT:	Media opportunity to meet the nationally-known Brown Family immediately followed by a presentation to students. Later in the day, the hospital along with its partners is hosting and a public event, featuring the Browns, September 22, 2011 at 6pm at Fulton Montgomery Community College’s College Union Building.
WHEN:	Thursday September 22, 2011 at 12:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE:	Board Room in the College Union, Fulton Montgomery County Community College 2805 State Highway 67, Johnstown, NY 12095 JOhnstown, NY, New York 12095
NOTES:	Notes to the Media: Members of the press will be invited to interview the Brown Family, invited dignitaries, hospital leadership and other partners from 12- 12:30. The media is then invited to view the presentation given to the students at Fulton Montgomery County Community College. All persons involved in the press conference will be granting interviews.

Posted Tuesday September 20, 2011 at 08:01 pm by Nathan Littauer Hospital
Last Updated Tuesday October 18, 2011 at 10:35 am