SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(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):
Kellie Montalvo (Benjamin’s Mother) Soundbites (English)
Eddie Montalvo (Benjamin’s Father) Soundbites (Spanish)
OTS Director Soundbite (Audio Only)
Contacts
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
