Wonewoc-Union Center High School Holds It Can Wait Campaign
About 110 students from Wonewoc-Union Center High School learned Wednesday about the dangers of smartphone activities while driving and were encouraged to take the pledge to keep their eyes on the road and not on their phones.
Wonewoc-Union Center High School teamed up with AT&T*, AAA and the Wisconsin State Patrol as part of the It Can Wait® campaign to remind students that smartphone activity can – and should – wait until after driving.
“Today’s teens often believe nothing bad can happen to them, but they need to understand that they are not invincible. Smartphone use while driving is very dangerous and can be deadly,” said Dr. Sharon Ennis, District Administrator for the Wonewoc-Center School District. “Through the It Can Wait campaign, we hope to highlight these very real dangers and urge all of our students to take the pledge to put away their phones when they are driving.”
The assembly was part of a series of high school events AT&T, AAA and the Wisconsin State Patrol are holding this school year to drive home the dangers of distracted driving and encourage students to take the pledge. The effort is part of AT&T’s It Can Wait® campaign, which has expanded from a focus on texting while driving to include other smartphone activities now common behind the wheel.
Today’s event featured AAA’s distracted driving simulator, which allows students to experience the dangers of smartphone activities behind the wheel. Teens also watched two new short films produced by AT&T as part of its “Faces of Distracted Driving” series. The films feature stories of two teenage boys killed by smartphone distracted driving (Caleb’s story and Forrest’s story) and imagine what their lives could have been like if they hadn’t been killed.
“The message of our It Can Wait campaign is simple – distracted driving is never okay,” said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of AT&T Wisconsin. “One glance at your phone while driving can change everything and even cost you your life. We are urging all drivers, especially our teens, to keep their eyes on the road and not on their phones.”
New research[1] from AT&T shows 81% of people admit to texting behind the wheel, while 64% admit to snapping and viewing photos while driving. Other smartphone activities people say they do while driving include: playing music (64%); emailing (60%); accessing social media (50%); surfing the net (47%); watching or streaming videos (36%); and even video chatting (27%).
Nearly 4 in 10 people call distracted driving a habit. And nearly a quarter of people don’t see it as a major problem.
However, research also shows taking action and speaking up can help reduce distracted driving. Seven in 10 drivers who have pledged at www.ItCanWait.com are keeping their commitment to not use their smartphones while driving. And 57% of people are more likely to stop driving distracted if a friend or passenger pressures them to.
“While Wisconsin bans texting and driving, we know many drivers are still texting or focusing on their phones when they should be concentrating on the very important task of driving,” said State Senator Howard Marklein. “The It Can Wait campaign is a great way to raise awareness about the dangers and remind all drivers, especially our teens, that they should put down their phones when behind the wheel.”
Wisconsin banned texting while driving seven years ago on December 1, 2010.
“Taking your eyes off the road, even for a few moments, can have tragic consequences,” said Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent J.D. Lind. “To ensure the safety of all travelers, we need drivers to stay focused on the road ahead, slow down, and make sure everyone in their vehicle is buckled up.”
Source: WRJC.com
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