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4.8.19 - Icw Event Sturtevant PR
4.8.19 - Icw Event Sturtevant PR
4.8.19 - Icw Event Sturtevant PR
STURTEVANT, Monday, April 8, 2019 – As Wisconsin marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, about 210 students at
the R.E.A.L. School (Racine Engineering, Arts and Leadership School) learned today 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.
The R.E.A.L. 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.
“It is never okay to drive distracted, and we want to remind our students that their smartphones are big distractions and should
be put down while driving,” said Principal Curt Shircel. “Distracted driving is a serious issue on our roads. We hope our students
take the It Can Wait message to heart and focus on the very important task of driving instead of their phones.”
The event featured AAA’s distracted driving simulator, which allows students to experience the dangers of smartphone activities
behind the wheel. Teens also watched two short films produced as part of AT&T’s “The Face of Distracted Driving” series that
feature stories of teenage boys killed by smartphone distracted driving (Caleb’s story and Forrest’s story).
“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.”
The assembly was one in 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 event 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.
Research1 from AT&T shows 81% of people admit to texting behind the wheel and 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.
Wisconsin banned texting while driving over eight years ago on December 1, 2010.
“Operating a motor vehicle is a major responsibility that requires a driver’s full attention,” said Wisconsin State Patrol
Superintendent Anthony Burrell. “Taking your eyes off the road, even for a few moments, can have tragic consequences. To
ensure the safety of all travelers, the State Patrol reminds drivers to always stay focused on the road ahead, slow down, and
make sure everyone is buckled up.”
The It Can Wait campaign has turned into a national social movement with support from organizations all over 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 164 communities throughout Wisconsin, involving 154 high schools and reaching over 57,700 students. Nationally,
over 36 million people have taken the pledge to not drive distracted by their phone since 2010.
To learn more about the It Can Wait campaign and to take the pledge, please visit www.ItCanWait.com.
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1Online survey with 7,505 respondents (total distracted drivers n=6,438) conducted by Kantar Added Value. Ongoing survey, data represented here were collected January 2017- December
2017. National panel sample (ages 15-54, drive, and have a smartphone).