The Times podcast: Can anything stop distracted driving? - Los Angeles Times
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The Times podcast: Can anything stop distracted driving?

Photos of two sisters struck and killed by a driver whom police believe was distracted
In April 2019, Amy Lorenzo, age 12, left and her sister Marlenne Lorenzo, age 14, were walking to school when they were struck and killed by a dump truck that was driven by a man police believe was searching for music videos on his phone. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,138 people died in distracted-related crashes in the U.S. in 2020.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
By Nicolas Perez
 and David Toledo
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Listen to this episode of The Times:

After a decades-long decline in automobile fatalities, numbers began to go up with the dawn of smart phones. Laws banning use of cellphones while driving haven’t stopped the rise — and the dawn of smart cars seems to be making things worse.

Today, we talk about efforts to stop distracted driving — and why they don’t seem to work. Read the full transcript here.

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Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times auto industry reporter Russ Mitchell

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Highways are getting deadlier, with fatalities up 22%. Our smartphone addiction is a big reason why

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The DMV said it would investigate Tesla over self-driving claims. Then, crickets

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About The Times

“The Times†is produced by Denise Guerra, Kasia Broussalian, David Toledo and Ashlea Brown. Our editorial assistants are Roberto Reyes and Nicolas Perez. Our engineers are Mario Diaz, Mark Nieto and Mike Heflin. Our fellow is Helen Li. Our editor is Kinsee Morlan. Our executive producers are Jazmin Aguilera, Heba Elorbany and Shani Hilton. And our theme music is by Andrew Eapen.
Podcasts BusinessCaliforniaThe Times Podcast
Nicolas Perez

Nicolas Perez is a former editorial assistant for the Los Angeles Times.

David Toledo

David Toledo is a former podcast producer for the Los Angeles Times. During his tenure, he produced captivating stories that aligned with the publication’s priorities for their flagship news podcast “The Times.†Notably, he spearheaded the show’s entertainment news and LGBTQ+ coverage.

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