“Reading a text is like driving blind.”
I will admit it… I have been known to try to text a few words while driving. I’ve heard the horror stories, but I have finally found my reason to stop texting & driving. If you have a few minutes I highly encourage you to watch this YouTube Video The Last Text: AT&T Documentary. I have taken the pledge and will no longer text while driving. NOTHING is that important… and if it is, I will pull over to handle it.
According to a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, those who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash. And, texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s driving the length of a football field completely blind.
AT&T has taken the initiative to stop texting and driving. Since 2009 they have:
• Created print, TV and radio PSAs that featured true stories of a message sent or received before someone’s life was altered or ended;
• Conducted awareness events with state and local officials nationwide, rallying support from critical third-party safety organizations, including the National Safety Council, CTIA – The Wireless Association, the U.S. Department of Transportation and more;
• Designed an anti-texting-while-driving pledge for its Facebook, Friends & Family and employee pages;
• Created a resource center – – offering downloadable educational resources for the public and toolkits for other corporations or organizations;
• Revised its wireless and motor vehicle policies to prohibit texting and driving;
• Incorporated a don’t-text-and-drive message on the protective clings for devices sold in AT&T retail stores;
• Equipped countless individuals – from insurance companies, government officials, departments of transportation, automotive companies, families, teenagers and many, many more – with company-created educational materials to help raise awareness of this issue; and more.
AT&T is passionate enough about this initiative that they have developed an educational toolkit to jumpstart school driving awareness programs.The kit offers promotional tools, PSAs, advertising and more.
So… how to handle those incoming texts while driving…. FOR FREE!
AT&T offers a free mobile app to its customers that, when enabled sends a customizable auto-reply message to incoming texts and emails, notifying the sender that the user is driving and will respond when it is safe. The app also provides the option to send calls directly to voicemail. It is available for Blackberry and Android. If you need a little help setting it up, there’s a short video to show you How to Use the DriveMode App .
Take the Pledge
AT&T wants you to take the pledge to not text while driving… I DID. AT&T will honor those taking the pledge by contributing to non-profit organizations focused on youth safety. You can take the pledge and share it with your friends on the AT&T Facebook page.
Thanks to AT&T for sponsoring today’s discussion
I fuss at my daughter all the time for texting & driving, I won’t hardly even answer the phone when I’m driving. Virginia is cracking down on this big time.
I fuss at my daughter all the time for texting & driving, I won’t hardly even answer the phone when I’m driving. Virginia is cracking down on this big time. And I think that is really good.
I have a son that will be driving in a year and it worries me sick about texting & driving! Hopefully by then it will be illegal to text & drive everywhere & the law will require him to not text & drive not just mom & dad!
It is a very serious problem along with women putting on makeup while driving. Get up sooner to do your make up! Please!Thank you for sharing this subject.