Final hh - 12.5.31 texting release

For more information, contact:Sarah BriggsAT&T Public Affairs614-223-7641sarah.briggs@att.com POLL FINDS 43 PERCENT OF TEENS ADMIT TO TEXTING & DRIVING AT&T campaign educating drivers on dangers of texting while drivingGovernor Kasich to sign House Bill 99 on Friday to prohibit texting while driving in OhioCOLUMBUS, Ohio, May 31, 2012 — Take out your wireless device and read the last text message youreceived. Would reading or responding to that text while driving be worth risking a car accident orinjury? Chances are, that text message could wait.That’s why AT&T applauds the efforts of the Ohio legislature – specifically RepresentativesDamschroder and Garland, as well as Governor Kasich – on their efforts to pass and sign into lawHouse Bill 99, the statewide texting while driving ban. AT&T is working to educate all wireless users,but especially teen drivers, that when it comes to texting and driving, it can and should wait. AT&T’s―Texting & Driving… It Can Wait‖ campaign seeks to raise awareness about the severity of the issueand activate all mobile users to be a part of the solution.Ohio House Bill 99 includes a provision to ban individuals who are less than 18 years old from usingany electronic communication device while driving, except in case of an emergency. The legislationalso requires that driver education courses include instruction on the dangers of texting while driving.―Many people find it difficult to admit how big a risk they are taking every time they take their eyes offthe road,‖ said Tom Pelto, President of AT&T Ohio. ―But the reality is, they are risking not only their ownlives, but the lives of others every time they send or read a text while driving. It is a serious issue thathas a simple solution: it can wait.‖AT&T recently released a survey that demonstrates just how significant the texting and driving issue isamong teenagers. Key Findings: 75 percent of teens say texting while driving is very dangerous – but 43 percent admit to doing so.

61 percent of teens say they have seen their friends read or send an email or text while driving. 60 percent of teens admit to texting at a red light and 73 percent admit glancing at their phone at a red light. 89 percent of teens said a phone app to prevent texting & driving – like AT&T’s free DriveModeTM – would be an effective way to get them or their friends to stop texting and driving. AT&T DriveModeTM provides a customizable auto-reply message notifying friends that the user is driving and will respond when they can do so safely.This research makes clear that more needs to be done to spread awareness of both the dangers andthe helpful tools that can prevent these distractions and keep our roads safer.Over the next several months AT&T will drive home the “It Can Wait” message, educating consumersand teenagers in particular about the dangers of texting while driving, while also helping Ohioansbecome familiar with the provisions of the new state law.AT&T recently received the National Organizations for Youth Safety 2012 Youth Choice Award forongoing efforts that address the issue of texting while driving.For more information on AT&T’s ―It Can Wait‖ campaign, please visit: www.att.com/itcanwait. ###About AT&TAT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries andaffiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful arrayof network resources that includes the nation’s largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voiceand cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering themost wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTVbrands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available athttp://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSSfeed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks containedherein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property oftheir respective owners.

Final hh - 12.5.31 texting release

by hmhollingsworth on May 31, 2012

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Final hh - 12.5.31 texting release Document Transcript