COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio
Department of Public Safety (ODPS) Director John Born joined AT&T today to highlight the
dangers of texting and driving. During the month of
September, which is Safe Driving Awareness Month, all Bureau of
Motor Vehicles (BMV) locations across the state will provide a palm
card to newly-licensed drivers, encouraging them to take the pledge
and commit to never text and drive.
"Distracted driving is an epidemic on our roadways, and we need
people all across Ohio to take
action in their communities to help put a stop to it," said
Director Born.
AT&T first launched the It Can
Wait® campaign in 2010 to educate the
public about the dangers of texting while driving and encourage
consumers to take the pledge to never text and drive. Information
about the issue can be found at www.ItCanWait.com. Ohioans can take
the pledge at the website or can dial the short code "464329" on
their mobile device, then text "ICWOH" to take the pledge.
"This is the first time the campaign has partnered with state
officials to reach newly licensed drivers statewide, at that one
moment when they may be most receptive to the message," said
AT&T Ohio President Adam
Grzybicki. "We're challenging all drivers, especially
our teens, to take the pledge to never text and drive and make it a
lifelong commitment."
The It Can
Wait® movement is making a difference.
Awareness of the dangers of texting and driving has reached 97
percent or higher for every audience AT&T has polled. The
campaign has inspired more than 5 million personal commitments to
never text and drive. The "From One Second to the Next" documentary
has also received millions of views since its Hollywood premiere last year.
"Earlier this year I sponsored Senate Bill 294 which designates
September as 'Safe Driving Awareness Month' in Ohio. Partnerships like this one between the
Ohio Department of Public Safety and AT&T are absolutely
crucial to getting this message out to drivers," said State Senator
Jim Hughes. "We all must work
together to remind all drivers that distractions in the car and
driving don't mix."
More than 200,000 crashes a year involve drivers who are
texting, according to the National Safety
Council1. The Virginia Tech Transportation
Institute has found that drivers who send text messages while
driving are much more likely to be in a crash.
Teens are particularly at risk. While 97% of teens say they know
texting while driving is dangerous, 75% say the practice is still
"common" among their friends, according to an AT&T
survey2.
In Ohio, it is illegal for
drivers under age 18 to write, send, or read text-based messages or
even talk on the phone while driving due to a texting ban which
took effect in March 2013. The
penalty is a $150 fine and a 60-day
license suspension, and repeat offenders could face a $300 fine and a 1-year license suspension. For
adults the texting ban is a secondary offense.
For more information on the It Can
Wait® campaign, please visit:
ItCanWait.com.
* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc.
1 National Safety Council
www.nsc.org
2 Survey conducted by Beck Research on behalf
of AT&T
http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/txting_driving/att_teen_survey_executive.pdf.
About ODPS
Through safety, service and protection,
ODPS is dedicated to the mission of saving lives, reducing injuries
and economic loss, administering Ohio's motor vehicle laws, and regulating
driver licensing and registration through its seven divisions: the
Ohio State Highway Patrol; Bureau of Motor Vehicles; Homeland
Security; Emergency Management Agency; Emergency Medical Services;
Investigative Unit; and Office of Criminal Justice Services.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier
communications holding company and one of the most honored
companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T
operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in
the United States and
internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that
includes the nation's most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a
leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and
cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also
offers the best global wireless coverage, based on offering roaming
in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier, and offers the
most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also
offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse®
brand. The company's suite of IP-based business communications
services is one of the most advanced in the world.
Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.