Pledge never to text and drive

In just one second, anyone who is texting while driving can kill someone. It could be you. It could be your teenage driver. And it could happen today.

No one is safe while texting and driving. The recent Daily Herald editorial (“An important step toward cellphone safety”) addressing distracted driving sure gets it right when it says a driver’s attention needs to be on the road. The National Safety Council says more than 100,000 crashes a year involve drivers who are texting.

At AT&T, we started the “It Can Wait” campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving. The goal is simple: We want to save lives.

We are spreading the message that when it comes to texting while driving, it can wait. No text message is worth risking the lives of others.

AT&T and more than 200 other companies are urging drivers to take the pledge to never text and drive. In fact, the It Can Wait movement is organizing a national “Drive 4 Pledges Day” on Sept. 19. To date, more than 2 million people have taken the pledge to never text and drive again.

Do you know a driver, especially a teen driver, who would benefit from understanding the dangers of texting while driving? A new documentary by filmmaker Werner Herzog will get their attention. It offers a shocking insight into the consequences of texting and driving. It’s called “From One Second to the Next” and anyone can watch it for free at ItCanWait.com. That’s also where you can also take the anti-texting and driving pledge.

As we lead up to Sept. 19, we encourage Daily Herald readers to support the It Can Wait movement and take the pledge to never text and drive.

Paul La Schiazza

President

AT&T Illinois