WORCESTER—Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. was awarded the prestigious Traffic Safety Hero Award by AAA Northeast this month for his dedication to reducing distracted driving.
Early was commended at AAA’s annual Community Safety Traffic Awards for his leadership in the “Eyes Up, Phones Down” campaign, which advocates for safer driving by encouraging motorists to use “Do Not Disturb” features on their phones.
This year’s campaign saw collaboration between Early’s office, AAA Northeast, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, Worcester police, WalkBike Worcester, and several other agencies. Relaunched in March, the initiative educates drivers on the risks of distracted driving through social media, pamphlets, and in-person presentations at driving schools.
Worcester police revived the “Eyes Up, Phones Down” campaign in April of this year. Early highlighted the need for the campaign, noting that there were over 325 fatal crashes in 2023, with another 1,600 crashes so far in 2024, 40 of which were fatal. Early emphasized the importance of Massachusetts’ hands-free law, first enacted in February 2020.
Early said he was grateful to have been granted the award but stressed that it represents the collective efforts of many partners in the fight to prevent road injuries and fatalities.
“All of us who care about making the roads safer know that we can accomplish much more when we work together,” said Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast’s vice president of public and government affairs, in a press release. She praised Early’s dedication to combating distracted driving and fostering impactful partnerships.
At the ceremony, AAA Northeast honored additional local agencies and individuals, presenting awards to 18 police departments and 23 individuals, including school crossing guards, for their contributions to traffic safety across Massachusetts.
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