Medford Juniors Attend End Distracted Driving Forum

MEDFORD, MA – On Tuesday, juniors in the Medford school district attended a presentation by End Distracted Driving, an initiative focused on educating teenagers about the dangers of not paying attention on the road.

Attorney Joel Feldman and his wife started End Distracted Driving after losing their 21-year-old daughter, Casey, to a distracted driver in 2009.

"My daughter did not die, she was killed by someone who made a selfish decision," Feldman told students, according to a release. "The driver was checking his GPS and never saw my daughter in the cross walk."

Feldman likened distracted driving to drunk driving and asked students if they have ever driven with someone who was distracted versus someone who was drunk.

More than 80 percent of kids said they had been a passenger in a car driven by someone who was distracted; almost none had ridden with a driver who was drunk, according to a release.

"Friends don't let friends drive drunk, and I believe friends don't let friends drive distracted," Feldman said.

"I speak to you today, because you have unlimited potential. My daughter Casey did too, until her life was tragically cut short. Do the right thing for yourself and others and do not drive distracted," Feldman said at the conclusion of his speech.

Students also heard presentations from Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Michael Miskell, a 24-year veteran of the force, and Emily Stein, a Medford resident and nurse.

"You will not do anything more dangerous in your life than drive a vehicle," Miskell told students. "Treat it as such. Pat attention on the road. Remember this - a tree falling into your path as you drive as an accident. Not paying attention at the wheel is not an accident - it may end up in a crash. There is a difference, so you need to be careful out there."

Stein spoke about her father, who was killed by a high school student searching for a restaurant on her GPS.

She told the crowd:

She weaved into the break down lane, never seeing the gentleman there, changing his tire. That man was my Dad. No one says they plan to kill someone today, but that is what that high school student did. That selfish decision on that student's part took my Dad away from me and my growing family. He was not able to see his granddaughter. He was not able to be a grandfather. That student took that gift away from my family.

At the end of the presentation, students were handed pink wristbands to remind them not to drive distracted.

End Distracted Driving was hosted by the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. Also present were Mayor Stephanie Burke, Rep. Paul Donato, school committee member Kathy Kreatz, Medford police officer Carl Brooks, Dr. John Perella, headmaster of MHS, Dr. Heidi Riccio, principal and director of MVTHS, Nicholas Tucci, assistant principal of MHS and Jill Sawyer, assistant principal of MVTHS.

>>>Photo (L-R): Paul Dullea, Kathy Kreatz, Mayor Stephanie Muccini Burke, Lisa Dunphy, MHS Media Dept, Sgt Michael Miskell, Dr. John Perella, Attorney Joel Feldman, Michael Conley, Past President, MATA, and Emily Stein

Photos submitted by Medford Public Schools