AT&T, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and AAA joined together to encourage students at Westerville South High School to pledge to stop texting while driving. They are urging all drivers to take a pledge on the "It Can Wait" website to never text and drive. AT&T has launched a large public awareness campaign on this issue, spending tens of millions of dollars, to educate the public on the dangers of texting while driving. They are working with various groups, celebrities, and developers to encourage the no texting while driving message and provide tools to help drivers stop this dangerous behavior.

1. For more information, contact:
Sarah Briggs, Public Affairs Holly Hollingsworth, Media Relations
Office: 614-223-7641 Office: 614-223-5711
E-mail: sarah.briggs@att.com E-mail: holly.hollingsworth@att.com
COLUMBUS-AREA STUDENTS PLEDGE: NEVER TEXT AND DRIVE
AT&T, Ohio State Highway Patrol, AAA discuss new law going into effect;
drivers urged to make lifelong commitment on Sept. 19
WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2012 — The Ohio State Highway Patrol and AAA today joined
with wireless provider AT&T*, seeking to bring attention to a serious road-safety problem, urging
students at Westerville South High School to pledge to stop texting while driving. Other teens and
adults are being urged to make a similar lifelong commitment on Sept. 19.
AT&T, its employees and other supporters are calling on all drivers to go to www.itcanwait.com to
take the no-texting-and-driving pledge, and then share their promise with others via Twitter
(#itcanwait) and Facebook. The pledge effort is part of the company’s public awareness campaign
aimed directly at stopping the dangerous practice of texting while driving.
“Texting and driving is a perilous mix. It endangers your own life and the lives of people you’ve
never even met,” said State Rep. Anne Gonzales. “I’m proud to join AT&T’s effort to remind drivers,
especially our teenagers, of the potentially deadly consequences of texting while driving and the
fact that this dangerous practice is now becoming illegal across Ohio.”
“More than 100,000 times each year, an automobile crashes and people are injured or die while a
driver was texting and driving,” said Tom Pelto, President AT&T Ohio, citing a statistic from the
National Safety Council1.
“Our goal is to save lives,” Pelto said. “AT&T applauds the efforts of the Ohio General Assembly –
as well as Governor Kasich – on their efforts to pass and sign into law House Bill 99, the statewide
texting while driving ban, which will take effect on August 31st.
“AT&T is challenging everyone to take the pledge to never text and drive and to make it a lifelong
commitment,” he said. “And we’re challenging all device makers and app developers to offer
devices that come pre-loaded with a no-text-and-drive technology solution.” (See video)

2. “Distracted driving is an epidemic on our roadways, and we need people all across Ohio to take
action in their communities to help put a stop to it," said Colonel John Born, Ohio State Highway
Patrol superintendent.
AT&T’s “It Can Wait” public awareness campaign is focused on a simple, powerful message: No
text is worth dying for. AT&T plans to spend tens of millions of dollars on the campaign in 2012 and
has made it an ongoing commitment in future years. The effort is comprised of several key
initiatives, including:
Encouraging its 240,000 employees to take the pledge and, in turn, urge all people to
commit that they will never text and drive. On an average day, AT&T retail store and call
center employees speak to customers more than 500,000 times.
Working with TV and music celebrities to deliver a strong no-texting-while-driving message
via TV ads, concerts, public appearances, Twitter and Facebook.
Launching an aggressive social media campaign with advertising on Facebook and Twitter
to encourage Americans to take the pledge and to share their pledges with their friends via
social media.
Educating the public using TV ads on the dangers of texting while driving that will run during
high-profile events and teen-focused programs.
Working to provide a toolkit of no-texting-while-driving information to every high school in
the country.
Challenging device makers and app developers to work with AT&T so that all devices
include a pre-loaded, no-text-and-drive technology solution as soon as possible.
Launching an online driving simulator at www.itcanwait.com in the coming weeks – so that
anyone with access to the Internet can experience the dangers of texting while driving.
Bringing an in-car simulator to more than 200 locations before the end of this year.
Enlisting others – including law enforcement, educators, national retailers, consumer safety
groups, legislators and the entire wireless industry – to join the no-text-and-drive
movement.
Asking more than 1,000 of AT&T’s strategic and other major suppliers to encourage their
employees to pledge not to text and drive.
Many governmental, corporate, non-profit and other organizations have pledged support for the
awareness campaign, including: The AFL-CIO’s Union Plus program, American Federation of
Teachers, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, CTIA, Junior

3. Achievement, LULAC, National Safety Council, National Urban League and RadioShack. More
supporters can be found at www.itcanwait.
A recent AT&T survey2 found that 97 percent of teens say they know that texting is dangerous. The
survey also found:
75 percent of teens surveyed say that texting while driving is “common” among their friends;
Almost all teens (89 percent) expect a reply to a text or email within five minutes or less;
And 77 percent of teens report seeing their parents text while driving.
But technology can help: 89 percent of teens said a phone app to prevent texting & driving – like
AT&T DriveModeTM 3 – would be an effective way to get them or their friends to stop texting and
driving.
AT&T first began its “It Can Wait” campaign discouraging texting and driving in 2009. The website
www.itcanwait.com provides an opportunity to take the don’t text and drive pledge. It
also offers a host of educational resources and information on the issue – including a documentary
featuring families impacted by texting and driving accidents that has been viewed more than 3
million times.
1
National Safety Council www.nsc.org
2
Survey conducted by Beck Research on behalf of AT&T
http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/txting_driving/att_teen_survey_executive.pdf.
3
Data and text messaging charges may apply for download and app usage. Standard messaging rates apply
to auto-reply messages. AT&T DriveMode is free to AT&T customers only. Compatible device required.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc.
under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
Web Site Links: Related Media Kits:
AT&T News Dangers of Text Messaging and Driving
AT&T It Can Wait
AT&T Facebook
AT&T Puede Esperar

4. Related Releases: Related Fact Sheets:
Parents Can Rule, Kids Can be Cruel, New AT&T Teen Driver Survey - Executive Summary
Mobile Phone Study Reveals AT&T Teen Driver Survey - Minority Findings
43% of Teens Say they Text & Drive; 77% Say Infographic: The Dangers of Texting While Driving
Adults Warn Against Risks; but Text & Drive 'All
Fact Sheet: AT&T's "It Can Wait" Campaign
the Time'
Video: Texting While Driving Simulator
Video: AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary
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