Corona Family Affected by Distracted Driving Share Son’s Tragic Story in New PSAs Released Today
April 17 2024 - 12:00PM
Business Wire
A Corona family that has personally experienced the tragic
consequences of distracted driving is sharing their story as part
of a new public awareness campaign announced today by the
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Through the end of April – National Distracted Driving Awareness
Month – new public service announcements (PSAs) will run on
multiple media platforms featuring the parents of Benjamin “Bean
Dip” Montalvo. The 21-year-old Corona native was struck and killed
riding his bike by a distracted and impaired driver in June 2020.
The new PSAs aim to raise awareness about the tragic consequences
of texting and cell phone use while driving, as well as to
underscore the courageous commitment of Kellie and Eddie Montalvo
to share their personal tragedy and warn others against making the
dangerous decision to drive distracted.
“This destroyed us in so many ways,” Benjamin’s mother, Kellie
Montalvo, said. “No parent should bury a child. No brother should
carry a casket and no friend should have to see their friend die
all because of a phone in someone’s hand.”
"The Montalvos are grieving parents and their entire family
experienced unimaginable loss because someone made the destructive
decision to drive distracted and impaired,” OTS Director Barbara
Rooney said. “Their advocacy and commitment to safer roads is
courageous in the face of personal tragedy. Benjamin's story is a
call for all of us to act so no more children, parents, neighbors,
and friends are killed in preventable crashes. Please, never drive
distracted – someone’s life could be at stake."
“The tragic death of 21-year-old Benjamin Montalvo serves as a
stark reminder of the devastating consequences of distracted
driving,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said. “Distracted driving
is not just a momentary lapse; it is a conscious choice that causes
irreversible harm with catastrophic consequences. Let us make a
commitment to drive with vigilance, responsibility, and above all,
compassion for those other lives sharing the road with us.”
“Every time you divert your attention from the road while
driving, you are not only putting your own life at risk, but the
lives of everyone around you,” said California Highway Patrol
Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Distracted driving is a deadly choice
that can result in tragedy. Stay focused on the road and keep
yourself and others safe.”
“We stand in solidarity with the Montalvo family in asking
drivers to put their phones down, because even though distracted
driving comes in many forms, the use of a smartphone is the most
common type of distracted driving,” said Auto Club Senior Public
Affairs Specialist Anlleyn Venegas. “While you’re on the road, it’s
never safe to text, check emails, use social media, or even program
GPS.”
“Distracted driving puts you, your loved ones, and others
sharing the road with you at risk,” Corona Police Department Sgt.
Robert Montanez said. “Taking your eyes off the road, even
momentarily, can have disastrous consequences and we see it occur
all too often. Distracted driving is also illegal. In 2023 alone,
the Corona Police Department issued 839 citations for individuals
driving while texting or talking on a cell phone without a
hands-free device."
Nine people are killed every day in the U.S. in distracted
driving-related crashes. In 2022, 3,308 people were killed in
distracted driving-related crashes throughout the country. The
numbers are likely underreported because law enforcement officers
may not always be able to determine that distraction was a factor
in a crash. Every person killed in crashes involving a distracted
driver was potentially preventable. According to the 2023
California Statewide Public Opinion Survey, more than 74% of
drivers surveyed said that distracted driving due to texting was
their biggest safety concern.
The PSAs were filmed at the Montalvo family home and capture the
raw emotion of two parents reflecting on their loss, all to implore
the public to put the phone away and not drive distracted. The PSAs
are part of the ‘Distracted Driving Kills’ statewide paid media
campaign, which runs through April 30 and features a series of
English and Spanish safety messages on video, digital billboards,
digital platforms including social media and streaming services,
and audio messages on the radio.
The OTS and Caltrans remind drivers that operating a handheld
device behind the wheel is dangerous and illegal. If you need to
text or make a call, pull over in a safe place and do so safely.
Remember, Distracted Driving Kills.
To view the campaign PSAs, visit the OTS YouTube channel. To
learn about other helpful ways to stay safe on the go, visit
www.GoSafelyCA.org.
VIDEO FOR NEWS MEDIA (click links to view and
download):
English and Spanish PSAs
Benjamin Montalvo B-roll
Kellie Montalvo (Benjamin’s Mother) Soundbites (English)
Eddie Montalvo (Benjamin’s Father) Soundbites (Spanish)
OTS Director Soundbite (Audio Only)
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240417967925/en/
Tim Weisberg, OTS Deputy Director, Marketing and Public Affairs
916-708-5128, timothy.weisberg@ots.ca.gov Chris Clark, Caltrans
Headquarters Deputy Division Chief, Public Affairs 916-531-3581,
Christopher.Clark@dot.ca.gov