“It can wait” texting & driving campaign comes to Pocatello
According to statistics from a nationwide teen driver survey, 43% of teens text while driving and 75% admit it’s a common behavior for their friends to do. Texting is just one form of distracted driving.
According to the AT&T campaign, distracted driving is more dangerous than drinking and driving. So AT&T is working to change that.
Tuesday, the campaign made a stop at Century High School in Pocatello.
“It can wait,” said Chris Johnson, spokesman for the campaign. “No post, no text, no email or even a selfie is worth your life or someone else’s life.”
That’s the message behind the campaign: “It can wait.” It all can wait.
The campaign tours the country and has been doing so since 2013. It’s goal is to end distracted driving, especially in teens.
Students sat inside a box that on one side had a wall of names, a wall of real victims of distracted driving. On the other side, sits the reason for wreckage, and the reason for the wall of casualties – a cell phone.
“It’s an epidemic,” Johnson said. “Seven out of ten people admit to using their smart phone behind the wheel and we want to remind people that when you’re driving it’s never okay to use your phones.”
Inside the box, the students strapped on glasses and headphones and got a theatrical experience. The virtual reality technology showed students what really happens when you glance down at your phone even for a second. It also told stories from those directly impacted by distracted driving – and heard what it cost them.
“I honestly thinks it’s important because it shows what can happen without it actually happening,” said Coleman Sandy, a student at Century High. “I think it’s really effective, especially with the freshmen here who are just learning to drive. I think we need to nip it in the butt before they even start driving so I think this is important.”
“I think statistics and numbers are a great way to get the surface but this virtual reality is a great way to get to students and hit them deep down in their hearts and their stomachs and impress what effects you have when texting and driving,” said Mustafa Rahim, a senior at Century.
Students could also look into a 360-degree driving simulation box. It showed close call after narrow miss after near accident until at the end, a text causes an accident.
“I know in the future I will never text and drive,” said Tristan Fullbright, a freshman. “I hope this will inspire others like it has inspired me.”
According to the campaign research, 61% of people text while driving, 33% use and check their email and 17% take a selfie. Social media is responsible for its share of accidents too. A survey from AT&T’s research shows 27% of people admit to using Facebook while behind the wheel, 14% use Twitter and Instagram and 11% use Snapchat.
