Volvo ads take a stand against distracted driving

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There’s more to life than a Volvo. And that’s not my opinion; it’s what Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, said. Full-page Volvo ads, set to print in the Wednesday editions of USA Today and the Washington Post, describe in stark, text-only copy the company’s support for the Department of Transportation’s efforts to combat rubbernecking, cellphone-using, text-messaging drivers at its “Distracted Driving Summit.”

During the Summit in Washington, D.C., which begins Wednesday, senior transportation officials, elected officials, safety advocates, law enforcement and academics will discuss ways to combat dangerous distracted driving, which is caused by things like texting while driving.

Though Volvo isn’t a part of the summit, this is a big move for Volvo -- the ads are one of the first public statements the company has made in favor of any legislation, and they are serious about this one, choosing to publish the ads while the two-day summit takes place.

But Volvo is most certainly not on the sidelines with the fight against distracted driving. The advertisements discuss how Volvo has been committed to eliminating collisions in which distraction is a factor – from their development of the three-point seat belt, a major lifesaving device found in every car made today, to building cars that can warn fatigued drivers when they waver from their lane.

Volvo’s commendable long-term vision is stated in the ad: “Our vision is that by 2020, no one will be killed or injured in a new Volvo. It’s a lofty goal, but with current and future safety technologies, we’re confident we can reach it.”

-- Kelsey Ramos