For the past couple of months, I have been writing and talking about the national campaign where you pledge to not text and drive. It’s called It Can Wait (the hashtag is #ItCanWait). There is a website that you can go to to take this pledge of not texting and driving – just head over to www.ItCanWait.com and you can pledge right there. Today, September 19, 2013, is “Drive 4 Pledges Day” which means that I’m asking you to take just a few minutes out of your day to pledge that you will do your best to not text and drive.
Today, there will be events across the nation (372 simulator events & 90 sponsorship properties) encouraging people to take this pledge to not text and drive. I’m having one at my house, complete with a texting and driving simulator (because that is the ONLY way that texting and driving is ok, if you are NOT on the actual road).
Here are some scary facts about texting and driving:
- When you text and drive, you are 23 times more likely to be in an accident
- 49% of adult commuters say they text and drive
- There is a major hypocrisy between teens and adults – 77% of teens say that adults tell them not to text and drive but then these same adults do it “all the time”
- 75% of teens say that texting and driving is common among their friends
- There are more than 100,000 texting-related accidents every year which result in injuries or death
But guess what? The It Can Wait campaign is slowly making a difference:
- 15 million It Can Wait stickers have been distributed
- On social media, 310 million unique user accounts have been reached
- 104 million unique Facebook impressions
- 1.4+ million people have taken the It Can Wait pledge <– HAVE YOU???
I thought that I would recap my articles that were part of this (sponsored yet critical) campaign in case you missed them:
- It Can Wait – Texting Ends Lives – #ItCanWait Campaign (Sponsored)
- Texting and Driving Simulator – A Scary Game to Try! #ItCanWait
- “It Can Wait” – A Public Service Announcement Video from HighTechDad & Daughter
- Still Texting and Driving? This #ItCanWait Documentary Will Change Your Mind
The first article is about taking the pledge and the campaign. But there is an important tie-in to a campaign that I worked on with Ford that was called “Driving Skills for Life.” As part of that campaign, teens went through an obstacle course while trying to text and drive. The results are pretty funny yet scary. The second part of the video below (starting around 7:50) shows the texting and driving test:
[youtube http://youtu.be/vdlQprJ_4Ts]
I decided for the second article to actually create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) with my youngest daughter to showcase the dangers of texting and driving. Enjoy the video below:
[youtube http://youtu.be/vcbQJBeDz_k]
The third article is about the driving simulator – one that we will be testing out today. Let me tell you, it is IMPOSSIBLE to play this game and “live” so think about it in the real world.
The fourth article is a very sobering one. It shows a 30 minute documentary of 4 heartbreaking texting and driving horror stories. At my event, I will be showing a shorter version which is also available, however, personally I think it is important to see the entire video:
[youtube http://youtu.be/_BqFkRwdFZ0]
For me, it was an honor or privilege to participate in the It Can Wait campaign. I know for a fact that I have consciously altered my own driving habits to really avoid even looking at my phone.
I only ask one thing, that you pledge to not text and drive, either formally on the ItCanWait site or in your own mind. One way or another, make that decision to be a safer driver!
Thank you for making this campaign so successful. Just by reading my articles and those on other sites, you are making a difference. Be safe and remember #ItCanWait!
Disclosure Text : I was paid/compensated by AT&T and/or its affiliates or PR/Marketing firms to write this article. All opinions within this article are my own and are not subject to the editorial review from any 3rd party. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.
HTD says: Did you pledge to not text and drive? Do it!
