Thursday, March 13, 2014

MAJ Launches End Distracted Driving Program - Learn More on April 4th

By Elisha Hawk, MAJ Parliamentarian and New Lawyers Section Chair

The Maryland Association for Justice's (MAJ) New Lawyers, Auto Negligence, and Family Law Sections are pleased to announce the launch of the End Distracted Driving Program in Maryland. MAJ members will make presentations in area schools across the state to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and to promote safe driving. Presentations are already scheduled for students at Bryn Mawr School for Girls in Baltimore and Wheaton High School, with many more to be scheduled during the coming months. The presentation has successfully been given to more than 125,000 teens across the country and has received very positive feedback from students, teachers and school administrators.

The MAJ program is a counterpart to the nationwide program that was developed by Joel Feldman at Anapol Schwartz after he lost his young daughter to a tragic accident involving a distracted driver. In 2009 Casey Feldman was killed by a distracted driver while crossing a street in a crosswalk. She was 21. Following her death her family and friends wanted to do something to prevent others from being injured or killed by distracted drivers. Joel Feldman, Casey’s father, a trial lawyer and counselor from Philadelphia, with the help from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 60for Safety, Joel’s law firm, Anapol Schwartz, and others worked to develop a science –based presentation that would engage teens and maximize the likelihood of changing attitudes and behaviors. The presentation is based on heath communication and behavior change theory and incorporates teen messaging concepts to engage and appeal to teens in a non-confrontational manner. Learn more about the program http://enddd.org
Seventeen other state trial lawyer associations have adopted the program, and Maryland will be the 18th. Attorneys interested in getting involved with the program are invited to join us at a train-the-trainer session on April 4 to learn the basics of giving the program and an outline of program goals. Afterwards, sit in on Joel Feldman's presentation to students at nearby Stevenson University at 7 pm (optional).





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