Press Release: 8/1/2025
MassDOT Launches Community-Driven Campaign to Curb Distracted Driving in Holyoke
This new campaign flips the script on traditional public service messaging by having community members be the creative force behind the message, the design, and the media.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
7/31/2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT
Phone
Call Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT at (857) 368-8500
Online
Email Jacquelyn Goddard, Director of Communications, MassDOT at jacquelyn.goddard@dot.state.ma.us
HOLYOKE — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the launch of a new community-driven public safety initiative in Holyoke, aimed at saving lives and reducing crashes and injuries by decreasing distracted driving. This new campaign flips the script on traditional public service messaging by having community members be the creative force behind the message, the design, and the media.
The initiative, titled Community Voices for Road Safety, is a unique and proven, award-winning safety program developed and implemented by Travelers Marketing. It was shaped through close collaboration with the community, including participation with organizations like Pa’lante, Holyoke Safe Neighborhoods, and the Holyoke YMCA. Creative meetings with participants led to the creation of the message “You’re loved. Te necesitan. Mira! Phone down,” which translates to “You’re loved. You’re needed. Look up. Phone down.”
“The Healey-Driscoll administration is making intentional investments in projects and initiatives to improve road safety, and community buy-in results in even more success,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The community-generated message that every life is valued makes this clear: ‘You’re loved. You’re needed. Look up. Phone down.”
“Safety is MassDOT’s highest priority and I’m grateful for the city of Holyoke’s leadership on the development of a campaign that tackles such an important issue,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “We all have a responsibility to help reduce distracted driving and I’m looking forward to this campaign producing results that are successful, effective, and lasting.”
By building a campaign with input from community members, MassDOT is modeling a new kind of public safety effort: one that’s locally driven, with an understanding of the motivations, behaviors, and influences specific to Holyoke. A similar Community Voices campaign last year in Brockton increased the seat belt use rate 30 percentage points, from 42% to 72%.
“This safety message will truly resonate with Holyoke residents because their voices shaped it,” saidHolyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia. "By involving our community directly in crafting messages that resonate with our residents, we’re not just promoting safety—we’re empowering Holyoke to take ownership of its road safety. This campaign exemplifies how local voices can lead to real change, making our streets safer for everyone."
Distracted driving from cell phone use is a growing danger to drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and all road users. More than 120 people are being killed every day in the United States as a result of driving while distracted. Holyoke is especially vulnerable, having experienced over 4,200 crashes since January 2022, according to the MassDOT IMPACT Crash Data Portal. Data analysis from MassDOT’s network screening, as well as from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) and Replica, identified Holyoke as one of the top risk communities for distracted driving in Massachusetts.
“Every day, we have the power to save lives by staying focused behind the wheel,” said Holyoke Ward 4 Councilor Kocayne “Koco” Givner. “Campaigns like this are uplifting because they bring our community together, raising awareness and encouraging positive change. What makes this effort truly special is that it gives our residents a chance to be a part of the solution by shaping messages that resonate with and reflect us.”
An important aspect of the effort is to gather data and provide drivers with real-time feedback. Distracted driving detection devices from SmartSigns will be installed in several locations around Holyoke. These SmartSigns are attached to a mobile trailer unit, use next-generation driver behavior detectors, and instantly tell drivers to put their phones down, buckle up, or slow down. All data collected is completely anonymous. MassDOT coordinated this program element in partnership with Safer Street Solutions, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and Cambridge Mobile Telematics.
“We have seen how these SmartSigns and community-based campaigns can separately improve driver behavior,” said Aimee Cox, a Research Scientist at the IIHS. “We're looking forward to studying how this comprehensive approach can help reduce distracted driving and make the streets of Holyoke safer.”
The campaign will utilize traditional billboard signage on high-traffic roadways in the City, and community participation in a mural wall. It will also make an appearance at the Fiesta Patronales and the Holyoke Mall. The goal is to bring the message directly into the spaces where these drivers live, work, and play.
About Community Voices for Road Safety
Community Voices is a division of Travelers Marketing, nationally recognized for its safety initiatives. Community Voices for Road Safety focuses on authentic, community-based public safety storytelling. The program operates nationwide, engaging directly with community members and creating campaigns that reflect their lived experiences and drive meaningful change.