Mission Statement

Stay Alive .... Just Drive is a public safety campaign that encourages all Southwest Floridians to support the effort to curb distracted driving. Today, most people consider inattentive and unsafe driving by others as a major personal threat to themselves and to others. Ultimately, our goal is to reach every motorist in Lee County, with our message at least once a day. Awareness is the key to understanding how one second can change a life forever.

Doug MacGregor Toon: Stay Alert, Stay Focused, Stay Alive, Just Drive

About the Program

Starting as a local campaign in Lee County, Florida, Stay Alive .... Just Drive! was awarded $75,895.00 in grant dollars from the Florida Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. The local news media, public safety organizations, businesses, civic organizations, churches, schools and clubs have partnered to help support the initative.

Goals of the Program

Reinforce the importance of maintaining safe and law abiding driving habits; stress accepting responsibility for the way we drive
Discourage distracted and multi-tasking driving, including talking on cell phone, reading, eating, using a computer and grooming.
Start tracking distracted-driving crashes and violations. (If it’s predictable, it’s preventable)
Lobby for distracted driver legislation
Support a primary seatbelt law, in which any motor vehicle operator can be pulled over and cited for failing to wear a seatbelt.
Increase educational requirements for new operators and habitual offenders.
Push for stiffer penalties and fines, increased drivers license fees, apply the money toward traffic crash prevention programs.

Task Force Members

Dan Moser
Lee County Health Department
Bike/Ped program coordinator

Chris Dowaliby
Fort Myers Shores Fire District
Retired, Fire Chief

Doug MacGregor
The News - Press
Editorial Cartoonist

Kris McCoun
Florida Gulf Coast University
Instructor, Communications and Philosophy

Teresa Cantwell
Florida Gulf Coast University
Student Representative

Nelayda Fonte, D.O.
Assistant Director
LMHS Trauma Services

Jay Anderson
Program Founder
Commissioner, South Trail Fire District