Distracted driving, especially texting and driving, is killing an average of nine people a day in the US. That’s horrible for both those hit by cars and drivers themselves who have to live with the consequences of a completely avoidable life-taking crash.

It was therefore a great day last Wednesday in the Massachusetts State House joining my good buds at MassBike and a dedicated core of fellow proponents from Liveable Streets, Walk Boston, Best Buddies, Text Less Live More, Crash Not Accident, AAA, and many more advocating for legislation intended to decrease pedestrian and cyclist traffic-related injuries and deaths.

Though many of the bills have been on the books for years, the key to success this legislative session is leadership support. That support was clearly evident Wednesday when Governor Charlie Baker, pictured above, and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, just to the left of the table, stood out front, shoulder-to-shoulder in support of both legislators’s bills and their own comprehensive traffic safety bill. Those bills include SD. 847: An Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities, a bill sponsored by regular State House cycling commuter Sen. William Brownsberger along with a house bill sponsored by active cyclist Rep. Dave Rogers, seen at the lectern below, as well as other bills that do not yet have links as the legislative session has just begun.

You can, however, stay updated by checking in on the Massachusetts Legislative website and clicking the “Bills” section shown with the arrow below.

Massachusetts, always the leader in revolution, is primed for revolutionary traffic law change intended to save lives on the road across the board. If you’re a Massachusetts resident, please advocate with your representative and senator for support of these much-needed bills. Together we can make a real difference to those on the road and those loving those on the road!