Curbing distracted driving topic of seminar in Marshall Township on Wednesday

Teaching drivers — especially teenage ones — to pay attention to the road instead of their smart phones, snacks or other distractions is the focus of a free seminar Wednesday evening in Marshall Township.

Michelle Johnson, whose son Connor died in a vehicle accident seven years ago, is teaming up with the Northern Regional Police Department to discuss the gravity of inattentive driving.

“Distracted driving has become an epidemic,” she Johnson, who set up a foundation in her son's name. “I talk about things like you can set your playlist, adjust the volume, get your Chapstick out of your purse and take a drink of water all before you put your car in drive.

“It's not illegal to drink a pop or eat a sandwich in the car, but choosing to do that can be a deadly decision. These things are all choices,” she said.

Each day in the United States, approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The March 14 program runs from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Marshall Township Community Center, 525 Pleasant Hill Road .

Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-772-6368 or tlarussa@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TonyLaRussaTrib.