The lure of texting while driving is a challenge I (and others) have fought for years. But when I became a parent, I felt an even stronger responsibility not to text (or use my phone w/o handsfree accessories or apps) while driving. If not only to be a role model for my kids who will be driving sometime (too soon now that I have tweens), but also for the safety of my family and others. Using phones in cars without handsfree accessories (i.e. distracted driving) is also illegal in many states. For years I heard stories of people that were either hurt, hurt others or died from texting (using the phone) while driving. While it is uncomfortable to watch the AT&T videos where real people share their stories about the dangers of texting and driving as well as a documentary with accident stories, I felt like it was important not only for me to watch but also for my tweens to watch.
In a interesting twist of fate, the first person I *almost* knew that could of died from texting or using social media while driving was a celebrity plastic surgeon. The exact cause of his crash is not known, but *speculation* from the news articles links his car accident to possibly his use of social media very close to the time of his accident. I remember the moment I read about his death, I looked at the certificate on the wall that I had been saving for a trial dermabrasion (a skin treatment) and realized that would never come to fruition. Of course, my top feelings were sadness that he had died and sympathies to his family – but having seen his tweets so close to his accident really made me think that it could happen.
I have worked with AT&T on initiatives in the past. Today I received a press update about the It Can Wait website and thought it was important for me not only to take the It Can Wait pledge (click here) but also to share with my readers in hopes they take the pledge.
So take the no txting while drivng pledge, be safe.. it can wait!
Disclosure: This is a press release update.
PRESS UPDATE FROM AT&T:
