Department+of+Transportation

**Department ** of **Transportation  by Christy Smits and Val Veliz **  //Mission Statement//: " Serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe , efficient , accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and in the future .  " //Budget//: $70 billion

//Officials//:  NEWS __**Infrastructure Improvement**__   //-DOT Secretary LaHood Testifies on Funding-  Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testified Wednesday, April 29th, to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about the progress made by the new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. More than 1 billion of the 1.1 billion provided, went towards airport funding. FAA has obligated approximately $7.3 million toward airport improvements. http://www.aviationnews.net/?do=headline&news_ID=166860
 * Secretary of Transportation -** //Ray LaHood//
 * Deputy Secretary of Transportation -** //Vice Admiral Thomas J. Barrett//
 * Chief of Staff** // - Joan DeBoer

**<span style="font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">//__Traffic__// ** //<span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">-Safety Day Shows Driving Dangers to Teens- // <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">At countywide safetly day in Williamson County Pavilion, students were exposed to the dangers of traffic such as; drunk driving, railroad crossings, texting while driving, roll-over accidents, and what would happen if one does not wear a seatbelt. Students found out that wearing a seatbelt can save their lives. Also they realized that texting while driving can cause accidents that sometimes can lead to death. Teens were taught that driving is not a fame, one has to be very responsable and has to pay attention not only to their driving, but everyone elses driving.

//<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">-Donte Stallworth Drunk Driving Cause Pedrestrian Death- // <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Donte Stallworth a member of the Cleveland Browns, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter. On March 14th, Stallworth struck a man named Mario Reyes,who was walking home from a construction job he had, in his vehicle while driving drunk. At the time of the crash, Stallworths blood alcohol level was .12, when the legal limit is .8. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">//-New Approach to cut speeding-// <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">In the past two years in Quebec, their auto-insurance board has used shock to try to cut the amount of speeding. They tried things such as blood spurting from accident victims of speeding. Now, they are showing statistics of how little time drivers save by speeding. Speeding is the cause of 37% of accidents in Quebec. This year the police and insurance board are trying to use statistics.