Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

Teaching Loved Ones #ItCanWait: No Texting and Driving (w. giveaway)

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AT&T #ItCanWait TechSavvyMama.com

As someone who champions AT&T’s message of It Can Wait that is part of their no texting while driving campaign, I was dismayed when I got an email from a family member who proudly exclaimed he had traded his Blackberry for an Android. I also may have flipped out a little upon reading this:

It is, however, much harder to use (impossible) when driving a car. With the Blackberry, I was able to make calls and even send texts (in either English and Spanish) while driving 80 mph on I-10 in Texas.

WHAT?!? You were doing WHAT while driving?

Making calls by pushing buttons on the Blackberry. Sending texts in multiple languages while driving. I wanted to pick up the phone, call, and lecture but I was too upset. Instead I stared at my computer, shaking my head in disbelief that someone that we love so dearly would be so very careless.

There are things that we know we shouldn’t do but do them anyways. Like using the phone while driving. We know the risks of distracted driving but it doesn’t stop us from texting, using map apps, or making and taking calls on the phone even though the statistics are staggering.

home_fact_2Did you know:

  • In the month of June 2011, more than 196 billion text messages were sent or received in the US, up nearly 50% from June 2009. (CTIA)
  • 40% of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger. (Pew)
  • Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.(Monash University)
  • Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. (VTTI)
  • Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37%. (Carnegie Mellon)

When reading the above statistics from Distraction.gov, do you pause to think about your actions and how they may affect others? Are you ensuring that your actions keep you and your passengers safe while not putting other motorists at risk? Because we know all it takes is a split second before life could change forever.

For this reason, my husband has offered assistance to this family member in the form of Android lessons while I am going to lead the conversation on distracted driving.

Even though this individual is far from being a teen, I’m going to make him take the pledge to never text and drive. I’m going to install the AT&T Drive Mode App after having him use the Texting & Driving simulator. We are going to have a very real conversation about the risks to him, our family, and to others on the road.

Because all it takes is a split second and your world can change forever.

no_text_on_board_logo_200

AT&T has offered a Samsung Galaxy SIII (the Cadillac of Android phones!) to a Tech Savvy Mama reader who takes the No Text on Board pledge. Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a Samsung Galaxy SIII from AT&T but have worked with them in the past to share the #ItCanWait campaign through mobile safety education initiatives I’ve conducted in my community and online. All opinions are my own. Images courtesy of AT&T.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Brittany says

    I resolve to stop picking up my kids dropped items unless I pull over to get it or make them wait.

  4. Brittany says

    I am taking the pledge for my kids, they are often in the car with me and I need to be a safe driver for them.

  5. Eileen says

    I took the pledge and our worst distracted driving issue we need to stop is eating while on the go.

  6. YVONNE says

    I am taking the pledge and passing it on to my family. Everyone needs to be aware of the dangers. People putting makeup on in the mornings drive me crazy.. I promise to stop looking at them with evil eyes and pay more attention to the road instead of them..

    • Leticia says

      I always roll my eyes when I see someone putting on makeup in the car. I honestly don’t understand how someone can line their eyes properly without poking themselves in the eye or getting in a wreck while driving a car!

  8. YVONNE says

    not answering the phone either while driving… doing this for my kids.. I do not have a bluetooth so its important for their safety and mine.

  14. Tammy Shelton says

    When the phone rings while driving with my Grands, they know I will not talk until the car is stopped. Period.

  19. Heidi K. says

    You can model appropriate cell phone use by waiting until your vehicle is stopped and in park before making any calls.

  20. Heidi K. says

    I’m taking the pledge because I want to do my part to keep drivers as safe on the road as possible.

  23. Rust says

    I model appropriate behavior by never texting and using a bluetooth headpiece if I do need to take a call.

  35. mara zamora says

    I’m taking the pledge because my daughter’s safety as well as innocent people’s safety is important to me

  38. ellen beck says

    I took the pledge not to fiddle around with the radio. In ice/snow any distraction is a danger!

  39. saminder gumer says

    i resolve to not look at my phone at all while driving and only answer calls via bluetooth.

  40. Eileen says

    I know that even PARENTS set a very bad example…they think that nothing could really happen to them. And kids are watching closely. The whole do as I say and not do as I DO is really lame. We need to set an example. My husband is horrible with this and checking a gps while driving. I do argue my point about it and the kids often agree. (We got him a speaker system for calls in his car and that has helped too) But sadly, when in the situation themselves, as with my older kids, they do the same sometimes. I will share this with my kids, especially our son who will be trying for his license in April

  41. Eileen says

    Oh boy, I model alright. i do not have the cell attached to my hand or ear. Mostly is lost in my purse. but it’s old and a basic phone so that is probably why. I tell the kids the phone can NOT be in their pocket, but in a holder in the car. They can avert their eyes to see who is calling but not to read a text. If it is an important call, they need to pull over and answer. That is what I do and show them this!

  43. Natalie S says

    I took the pledge and I will stop trying to pass things to my kds when driving b/c it can be distracting.

  44. Mel says

    Pledge. It’s far more important to concentrate what is in front of you than what’s next to you. Just no to that!

  45. Louis says

    I took the pledge….it’s sometimes hard to focus on the road and coach the kids in the back seat

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com

  46. Louis says

    I have shared the campaign on facebook on twitter. Even tho I can’t name anyone personally, if my tweet or share just reached one person, then it’s a success for me

    • Leticia says

      Thank you so much for sharing via Facebook and Twitter! I know your shares will make an impact!

  47. Louis says

    my kids aren’t in that age yet, but i believe practicing what I expect my children to do is the best lesson

  48. Heather! says

    I took the pledge! I only use my earpiece while driving (phone is always put away, out of reach), BUT I do often dance (sort of) and am sometimes distracted by things I see as I drive by. I resolve to be more attentive to THE ROAD, and not distracted by the rainbow-sliding unicorn I just saw.

    🙂

    Thanks!
    h4schaffer at gmail dot com

    P.S. I share your horror at your friend’s message. Argh!!

  49. Heather! says

    I have already shared this with my FB friends, but I need to really hound my husband about it. He’s a pretty attentive driver, but I have seen him use his phone. Drives me nuts! You can bet he’ll be hearing about this from me.

    h4schaffer at gmail dot com

  50. Heather! says

    I deliberately put my phone in my bag, and my bag on the passenger-side floor of the car so that I can’t use it while I’m driving. I do wear a bluetooth earpiece so that I can take incoming calls, but that is hands-free, and if the conversation is too complicated I call the person back when I’m out of the car. I have other bad habits, but using my phone is thankfully not one of them.

    h4schaffer at gmail dot com

  51. Heather! says

    I took the pledge because I know that, no matter how well I think I pay attention, I am often distracted while driving. I also know that it is ‘there but by the grace of God’ that I go unharmed any time I am in the car. And guess what? I haven’t always been so lucky. I broke my back in a car accident when I was twenty years old and have used a wheelchair for nearly half my life, so I DO KNOW–better than most–that you can never be too careful. We must remember and be reminded again, as often as possible, that accidents can happen and our best defense is vigilance and paying attention.

    Wish I could remind EVERYBODY on the roads of this!

    h4schaffer at gmail dot com

  52. Tabathia B says

    I have taken the pledge and resolve not to get involved in my kids conflicts while driving, but to pull into a parking lot and wait and resolve then so I won’t be distracted

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  58. Denise L says

    I don’t text while driving, but I do sometimes become too engrossed in my NPR station. I swear there are days that I don’t have any idea how I got home 🙁 I will stop that!

  59. Denise L says

    My husband really needs to take the pledge, but specifically for talking on the phone, not texting (he doesn’t text even when he’s not driving ;).

  65. Ranu tanu says

    I will share my pledge with my husband who usually takes on the wheels. He sometimes just looses focus, lost in his thoughts but he never texts or pick up the phone while driving.

  73. saminder gumer says

    i will be sharing this with a friend who texts and drives and talks all the time. i will do my best to change this.

  79. kim c says

    I’m taking the pledge because a second of being distracted can be my life or someone else’s.

  80. amy williams says

    I took the pledge to be safe for my kids and I will share with the rest of my family…our bad habit is eating and drinking and I will now wait.

  82. Deborah Curran says

    I took the pledge – I realized that I was texting one day while my son was in the passenger seat and I realized 1) what a bad example I was setting and 2) how dangerous it was – NO MORE !!!!!

  84. Deborah Curran says

    by setting my cell phone up via blue tooth for long drives (thru the garmin) or giving to my son to receive any incoming calls

  86. Denice P says

    comment 2

    I hate to point fingers at anyone I know who I’ll be send this to Take the pledge. My friend Gabby has a bad habit of texting, she mainly does it at the stop light but still. it’s dangerous.

  88. Vikki M. says

    I took the pledge. I will not look at my phone while driving. i see how bad other people are when they are talking on their phone while driving.

  90. Vikki M. says

    I never text while driving and I want my kids to do the same. I don’t want them on the phone while driving.

  96. Mel says

    I’ve actually have been discussing this with my mother who see drivers who seem to not pay attention to what is in front of them.

  102. Laura Jacobson says

    I always try to model my cellphone usage as they do learn so much by example. There has been many times my son has tried to reach me, and I always wait until I am stopped to call him back.

  103. Laura Jacobson says

    I shared why I took the pledge….I have heard alot of stories how it can just take a second. Its so important to remember to not text and drive!

  108. ellen beck says

    I dont have young children but when I have my neice with me and the phone rings I just dont answer unitl I can pull over .

  109. Mel says

    It’s refreshing for companies to actually care. You don’t know what will happen to yourself because you don’t know if people driving around you are paying attention.

  110. ellen beck says

    I am telling my brother in law about this- he is a horrid driver and when he tries to talk on the phone it is even worse.

  111. Becky Richied says

    I am most definitely taking the pledge, it can most definitely wait. Another point is texting and walking can be very dangerous also depending on our surroundings at the time, my kids complained to me about that a lot.

  112. Becky Richied says

    I model appropriate behavior by letting that call ring through when it’s not appropriate to answer the phone. Not even with a headset will I do it.

  114. saminder gumer says

    i model appropriate cell phone manners to my kids by not talking on the phone unless it is with bluetooth in the car.

  115. saminder gumer says

    i am taking the pledge because one of my friends was in an accident because he was texting while driving and i don’t want him or anyone else to get hurt for this silly reason.

  116. danni stengel says

    i took the pledge about a year ago but since then i’m much better about pulling over even to make a phone call.

  117. danni stengel says

    I’ll get my best friend Darby to take the pledge as well since she spends much of her time traveling from her town to mine.

  119. danni stengel says

    i took the pledge after watching a news special about the dangers of texting while driving.

  120. Mel says

    While driving, either choose to ignore the phone if it’s ringing or have the children, if old enough to answer, let the end caller know that you’re currently driving and will call once destination is reached.

  124. Denice P says

    One way I model appropriate cell phone usage is I don’t answer while driving. I will not also answer the phone after a certain time at night because I feel boundaries are important.

  125. Denice P says

    I shared why I took the pledge. I took it because everyone is someone to someone. Being that they are moms. dads, brothers and sisters and I would never want to hurt someone .