New anti-texting campaign grips hearts

Many young drivers across the country are out of school this week and next for spring vacation. They will likely be logging more hours behind the wheel. I hope those extra hours lead to increased skill levels and road sense.

Just in time, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire has signed her state's new law making it a primary offense to use a hand-held cell phone to talk or text behind the wheel.

And the folks at AT&T have a new anti-texting campaign they hope will lead to increased safety.

It's dramatic stuff, and I think it's astonishingly effective.

Click on the image above to watch a heartrending video.

The idea is simple, but smart. The videos and print ads feature "the text message sent or received before someone’s life was altered, or even ended, because of texting and driving."

Press the "play" arrow above to hear a mother introduce her son's last message.

Seeing these insignificant text messages coupled with the incredibly significant consequences they generated should help people get the message: texting or reading texts while driving is dangerous. Dangerous to the driver. Dangerous to passengers. Dangerous to all of the people nearby.

Wil Craig thinks about what this text message cost him every day.

I want to thank the people of AT&T for developing this campaign, hosting a terrific resource for young drivers, and helping people get this important message:

"Stop what you’re doing. Take out your wireless device. Read out loud the last text message you received. Would reading or responding to that text message while driving be worth causing a serious accident? When you look at it that way, there’s no text that couldn’t wait."

The clips are gripping. I hope they work.

Comments

[mike siffer]

The energy spent on this really needs to go toward reauthorization. Keep things like this at the state level

[Erin Boen]

This campaign by AT&T is one of the most powerful deterrents to text messaging while driving that I have ever seen. It is a great step in the right direction for this industry to address the harm that can be caused by using their devices in inappropriate situations. To be extremely honest, this is the one thing that has made me completely change my cell phone use. I have always believed that I am the exception and would never be the one to have an accident. The timing of this advertising campaign could have been earlier but it is just important to get this message out. I believe this campaign will be highly effective and appreciate the highlight given to this important problem by the Department of Transportation. If this campaign is taken to a grand scale, there seems to be a great chance that cell phone related deaths, injuries and accidents will decrease making the roads safer for everyone involved. This campaign has already greatly transformed the way I drive. Thank you.

[Mouhamad A. Naboulsi]

This really brings it home. No Blood, No Gore, no scare tactics. Just reality that can hit home and talk to the thoughtfulness in all of us.

Too bad the telecom industry does not put effort into safer technology for drivers. After all, they're the one making the calling devices, not the automotive industry

[Michael E. Bailey]

These ads should have an impact on everyone who sees them and should bring home to people that it is a dumb idea to text or talk on the cell phone while driving. And its good the ad campaign is where the most people can see it, including legislators and the people who work in all the other parts of the transportation industry and also the people who operate equipment and drive ore carriers at the nation's mines. But the phone companies who do wireless should also be working on some kind of way to lock the phone so it won't operate if it is turned on in a moving car. Its fine to keep a cell phone with you, but if you want to talk or text, stop the car first. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Going Crunchy]

My son's five year old friend was killed by a distracted driver. The driver plowed full speed into a car, crushing him to death. Not only did my friend lose her son, my son's friend lost his life. And I had to explain dying to a five year old in the context of his peer. "All of us" think that we can multi-task, talk, that the problem is with everybody else. It is with our irrevrant culture that has ceased to value each other - and think about how our actions have reactions.

Put down the cell, stop the text, put the hands and brain on the wheel.

[Marysue Smith]

My husband and I were driving south on I-25 from Belen to Albuquerque on Monday, 3/29/10. A driver in front of us began rapid braking in the slow lane, so we slowed and started to change to the fast lane. Then the vehicle (a blue sedan) headed into the fast lane and slowed dramatically, almost stopping. We moved into the slow lane and as we passed, I saw a woman intent on texting or reading something on her cell phone. She was staring at the phone screen and did not care that her car was halfway blocking the fast lane! Please don't leave cell phone/texting regulations to the states--nothing will be done. And I can't tell you how many times we have been passed in Arizona or New Mexico by freeway drivers doing 75+ mph while using handheld cell phones.

[annettemd]

I think this is a very powerful ad and the sponsors should be commended. We have all been guilty of poor driving at one time or another due to the distraction of cell phones, PDA’s, and other technology.

I agree that the issue here is really with the telecom industry. It is critical that legislative action be taken. I feel that laws, be they on the state or national levels, really need to shift focus from the automotive and transportation industries to telecom. If possible, a most effective law would be a hybrid focus of the multiple industries in addition to stringent enforcement.

[Legislation Forum]

On March 10, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal signed into law SF 20, making the state the 20th to enact a ban on text messaging while driving. This is the first enactment of the year. Wyoming’s new law will be standard enforcement and will take effect July 1, 2010.

The following 20 states and the District of Columbia now ban all drivers from texting behind the wheel: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana,

Join the conversation at http://www.azlegislation.com

[Lynda Hernandez]

It is never too late to address an issue. The only thing we might regret is not doing it sooner.

Thanks for addressing the issue. Lives will be saved. God knows we deal with a lot of adversites that we have no control over. Let's control and support anti texting.

[CC]

It's simple. You're driving a lethal weapon. Respect that and do nothing but drive when behind the wheel.

[Mark Bernstein]

Today marks a wonderful day in the state of Michigan. Today is the day our state’s “no texting while driving” law goes into effect . Let’s all do our part by not texting while driving; not only to avoid a ticket but to possible save a life. Staying in contact with your loved ones is very important, however staying safe for them is even more important. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a Michigan auto accident, talk with an experienced Michigan car accident lawyer today.

[car wraps]

I found these ads very effective and I am quite certain they will save lives. It is this sort of dedication and concern from the DOT that makes me a very happy tax payer and a proud citizen.

[Mobile VAS Solutions]

Hi,

While I agree that the ads are good, I have my doubts about how effective they are going to be...

My company develops mobile VAS solutions, including mobile email, and as a result I have travelled widely in Africa and Asia. One striking difference is that while they also talk while driving, noone would ever try to text, chat or email other folks. Because it really can wait. They really do not associate such weight or importance to a text message, that they would start looking for a phone, read it, never mind reply when they are travelling at 60 mph.

It seems that in our culture the blend of "I can multitask", "I'll get away with it" and "It can't wait" has encouraged this risk-taking attitude. And I am afraid, it is not ads, but mommies and daddies who can change that.

Kind regards,
Lefty

[Michelle DeVille]

My best friend was killed on October 13, 2008 after her vehicle was hit head-on by a pickup driven by a young man who had just graduated from high school FOUR MONTHS prior to the crash who was texting and driving. They were both going 55mph and neither of them had a seatbelt on (which was odd because Jamie ALWAYS wore hers). The young man in question died at the scene, and Jamie died an hour later. Two lives were lost, two families/circles of friends were shattered by this preventable accident. DON'T TEXT/DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robert]

A great way to remind people to NOT text and drive are with TEXTING KILLS thumb bands!
www.textingkillsthumbbands.com

[robert]

With so many teens out there admittedly texting and driving, any and every reminder that textign and driving is dangerous helps. My office has started giving out "txtng kills" thumb bands (www.textingkillsthumbbands.com) to our clients who have teen drivers in the house. They seem to like them and hopefully it will give them a daily reminder to put the phone down while in the car

[Jacob Rodman]

Multitasking is a hard thing to do because you're definitely going to lose focus on one of the things you're doing. That's what these ads try to tell to people who are always on the go in their car. There's always a right time to do things.

[Ruthann Tassinari]

My name is Ruthann Tassinari and I came up with a poem about texting and driving-here it goes maybe kids will understand when they read this poem
I don't believe in texting
my fingers don't need flexing
if you have something to say
then do it my way
by the way of a phone
your voice I need to hear even if it's a drone
so don't text and drive
we all want you alive
life is such a precious thing
don't blow it by texting about your new fling
if it is something you have to say right away
then pull over and talk all day
a car can be a deadly instrument
just look at the carnage of an accident and lament
so take it slow
even if you have a place to go
a life should not be wasted
in a pool of blood you don't want to be baisted
that is all for now
so take a big bow
for not texting and driving
for a good long life you should be striving