Most people know that I have a background in grassroots advocacy and that I’m passionate about social media. But what you may not realize is that I have an even deeper passion for the automotive industry. Yes, I love cars. Since 2008, I’ve been experimenting with this online medium, and I have been astonished at how quickly it has enabled me to form relationships within the car enthusiast community worldwide. In fact, thanks to the alliances I’ve formed through Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, I’m currently combining advocacy and social media to spread awareness of distracted driving.

Another auto blogger and I have created Distraction Free Fridays (#DFF). We are using our blogs and social media platforms to encourage individuals to pledge to “put their devices aside and focus on the drive” every Friday between now and June 24. So far, we’ve seen some great success on Fridays with folks using the #DFF hash tag in lieu of the typical “Follow Fridays” or #FF hash tag to denote they’re taking the pledge.

This is just one example of how individuals who have a passion for a cause can leverage their contacts – even if they’ve never met them in person before – to help spread the word. How have you used social media to advocate for a cause that you care about personally?

Learn more about Distraction Free Fridays (#DFF) on my blog, Be Car Chic. Then take the pledge for yourself by “liking” our Facebook fan page.