'It Can Wait': wireless leaders unite to curb texting while driving.

• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Telecom & Technology

By AT&T

AT&T's It Can Wait [R] campaign to end texting and driving was significantly bolstered in mid-May by the commitment of more than two-hundred organizations to join the movement. Their efforts support a new national advertising campaign, a nationwide texting-while-driving simulator tour, retail presence in tens of thousands of stores, and outreach to millions of consumers with a special focus throughout the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day--known as the 100 Deadliest Days on the roads for teen drivers, according the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The 2013 campaign drive will culminate September 19 when efforts turn toward encouraging everyone to get out in their community and advocate involvement on behalf of the movement.

'Deadly Habit'

"Texting while driving is a deadly habit that makes you twenty-three times more likely to be involved in a crash," said AT&T Chairman & CEO Randall Stephenson. "Awareness of the dangers of texting and driving has increased, but people are still doing it. With this expanded effort, we hope to change behavior. Together, we can help save lives."

The campaign kicked off May 20, with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile bringing a multi-million dollar, co-branded advertising campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving, and encouraging everyone to immediately take the pledge against it online at itcanwait.com. The campaign is focusing on the stories of people who are living with the consequences of texting while driving. Their stories will be told through various media including TV, radio, digital, and social. The first story in the campaign was of Xzavier Davis-Bilbo, who in 2010 at five-years-old, was struck while crossing the street by a young woman texting while driving--leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

Texting while driving is an epidemic, and it's not isolated to teen drivers. It affects adults as well. A recent AT&T survey shows business commuters know texting while driving is unsafe, but they still engage in these behaviors. In fact they are texting and driving more than they used to. Six in ten commuters said they never texted while driving three years ago. Nearly half of commuters admit to texting while driving, which is more than teens--49 percent of commuters self-report texting while driving, compared to 43 percent of teens, according to a teen survey conducted by Beck Research on behalf of AT&T.

Drivers know the risks, yet all this texting...