Distracted driving is such an important safety issue that April is recognized as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In California, Police, Sheriff and CHP officials are joining the Office of Traffic Safety, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as well as law enforcement throughout the country, working together to focus on education as well as enforcement.

 

The San Mateo County Police Chiefs & Sheriff Association and the Burlingame Police Department will join statewide enforcement campaigns on April 7 and 20, "zero tolerance days," when all agencies will be especially vigilant for distracted drivers. Although the purpose of the campaign is not to write as many citations as possible, sometimes citations are necessary for drivers to understand the importance of focusing on their driving.

 

Distracted driving continues to be a problem, especially as the use of smartphones increase. Although such crashes are often difficult to prove, California had at least 84 fatal distracted driving collisions in 2013, 85 in 2014 and 67 in 2015, with the actual number of cases likely higher. NHTSA data for 2014 show nationwide, 3,179 people died in distracted driving collisions, which is 10% of all crash fatalities. An additional 431,000 people, or 18%, were injured in motor vehicle collisions involving distracted drivers.

  

"As we rely on our cell phones more and more in our everyday lives, we seem to be kidding ourselves in thinking that they don't affect our driving," said OTS Director Rhonda Craft.  "Crashes are up. The scientific evidence is solid. The dangers are real, and they apply to all of us.  We need to silence the distractions."

 

The Department Of Transportation notes that at any given moment, during daylight hours, more than 660,000 vehicles are being driven by someone using a hand-held cellphone.  

 

NHTSA will conduct a television campaign in April with the message "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." OTS will produce public service announcements and conduct a social media campaign urging drivers to "Silence the Distraction."

 

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include:

 

 

But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.

 

The California Office of Traffic Safety, Police, Sheriff and the CHP reminds everyone that best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses.

 

The Burlingame Public Library is embarking on a podcast project to help make community connections and share the stories of those who live and work in our community. Me, You, We is a podcast where people share their own stories in their own words. The main idea is for the "Me's" and the "You's" of the community to become a more collective "We".  We'd love to hear your story. If you or someone you know would like to participate in this project, please fill out the contact form and we will be in touch.  View the project trailer on YouTube for a preview of the project!"

The Burlingame Parks & Recreation Department is presenting two days of free theatre entertainment for the whole family.  Children, ages 5-11, will be entertaining through songs, dance and acting on both days.  

  

This delightful theatre experience will include "Broadway Kids", a group of 17 children who will perform songs from Sound of Music and Frozen.  Following "Broadway Kids", 30 talented students will act, sing and dance their way through Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

  

These performances are free and open to the public - no tickets required.  For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call (650) 697-6936.  

What should you do if you are confronted with an active shooter? On Saturday, April 23, two members of the Burlingame Police Department, Corporal Jason Orloff and Inspector Jeff Schoenstein, will explain what you can do to improve your chances of survival and help others around you survive during an active shooter situation. They will also answer questions on other safety issues, including home burglaries, car thefts and traffic calming in neighborhoods. Both are members of the North Central Regional SWAT Team and currently detectives with the Burlingame Police Department. 

  

This program, which is free and open to the public, is presented by the Burlingame Neighborhood Network (BNN), which encourages residents to work cooperatively in neighborhood teams to prepare for emergencies. In addition, BNN representatives will explain how to start a network in your neighborhood. Each neighborhood group that participates in a citywide drill this fall will be eligible for a complimentary neighborhood disaster response kit that normally retail for more than $50. For more information about BNN, visit www.thebnn.us.

Burlingame Community for Education Foundation (BCE) is pleased to announce that their biggest annual fundraiser, the BCE Dinner Dance and Auction, will take place on Saturday, April 16, 2016. All proceeds from this event benefit Burlingame's TK-8 public schools. This year, the BCE Dinner Dance and Auction will feature a "Totally Awesome Prom Night" theme. Regularly priced tickets are $175 and early bird tickets are $150. No tickets will be sold at the event. For auction information and to purchase event tickets, visit BCE's website at www.bcefoundation.org

Register your kids for soccer with Burlingame AYSO today! 

Everyone plays! Join the fun! Registration events will be held at the Burlingame Rec Center.  Please visit www.burlingameayso.org for more info.