CEDARBURG, Friday, March 13, 2015 — Nearly 650 students at Cedarburg High School learned today about the dangers of texting while driving and were urged to take the pledge to never text behind the wheel at www.ItCanWait.com.
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For more information, contact:Jessica Erickson, AT&T
Wisconsin608-282-7870 (work)[email protected]
Cedarburg Students Urged to Take Pledge to Never Text and Drive
at www.ItCanWait.com
Students Also Learn about #X, New Social Tool Geared Toward
Helping Teens Stop Texting & Driving
AT&T, AAA, Wisconsin State Patrol Team Up to Highlight
Dangers
CEDARBURG, Friday, March 13, 2015 Nearly 650 students at
Cedarburg High School learned today about the dangers of texting
while driving and were urged to take the pledge to never text
behind the wheel at www.ItCanWait.com.
Cedarburg High School teamed up with AT&T, AAA, the
Wisconsin State Patrol and State Rep. Robert Brooks as part of the
It Can Wait movement to remind students that text messages can and
should wait until after driving.
Texting and driving is not only against the law, but it is one
of the most dangerous activities a driver can do behind the wheel,
said Cedarburg High School Associate Principal Jodi Hackl. We hope
our students take the It Can Wait message to heart and not only
take the pledge to never text and drive, but encourage their
friends and family to do the same.
Todays assembly was part of a series of events being held at 25
high schools across the state this school year by AT&T, AAA and
the Wisconsin State Patrol to drive home the dangers of texting and
driving and encourage teens to take the pledge.
During todays event, teens learned about #X a new social tool
introduced as part of the It Can Wait campaign that is geared
toward helping teens stop texting and driving. The school was also
presented with two permanent It Can Wait parking lot signs that
remind students to never text and drive.
Our It Can Wait campaign has always targeted teens, as they are
not only our newest and most inexperienced drivers, but also the
most prevalent texters, said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of
AT&T Wisconsin. #X is simple, quick to enter and easily
shareable, and we hope it will act as a digital rallying cry for
teens and others to help end this deadly epidemic.
#X is a tool that teens can use to pause a text or social
conversation before beginning to drive. The symbol is a way for
teens to quickly let their friends know that they are about to
drive and wont be responding to texts or social media until they
arrive safely at their destination.
Students were given the chance to experience the dangers of
texting while driving in a safe setting through AAAs distracted
driving simulator. They were also shown a powerful documentary
produced by AT&T called The Last Text that shares real stories
about lives ended by someones decision to text and drive.
AT&T first launched the It Can Wait campaign in 2009 to
educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving and
encourage consumers to take the pledge to not text and drive at
www.ItCanWait.com.
The campaign has now turned into a national social movement with
support from organizations all across the country, including the
Wisconsin State Patrol and AAA. Since 2010, AT&T, AAA and the
State Patrol have partnered together to hold events in 64 cities
throughout Wisconsin, reaching over 28,000 high school
students.
Even though Wisconsin bans texting and driving, we know too many
people are still texting behind the wheel on our roads, said State
Rep. Robert Brooks (R-Saukville). Through efforts like the It Can
Wait campaign, we hope to spread the message about the dangers to
our young people and encourage them to take the pledge.
The It Can Wait movement is making a difference. The campaign
has now inspired over 6 million pledges to never text and drive,
and one in three people who have seen the texting while driving
message say theyve changed their driving habits. Texting while
driving causes more than 200,000 car crashes on American roadways
each year, according to the National Safety Council.
Safe driving requires more than just your hands on the wheel and
eyes on the road, said Vicki Hanson, Regional President for AAA
Wisconsin. The best way to avoid a crash is to give your undivided
attention to driving.
Wisconsins law, effective as of December 1, 2010, prohibits
sending an e-mail or text message while driving and imposes a fine
of up to $400. As a primary enforcement law, officers may stop and
ticket drivers solely for texting and driving. Wisconsin is among
41 states and the District of Columbia that ban text messaging by
all drivers.
For more information on the It Can Wait campaign, please visit:
ItCanWait.com. For more information on AAAs national initiative to
ban texting and driving in every state, please visit
www.TeenDriving.AAA.com.
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