May 31, 2012 news release issued by AT&T in Ohio, regarding the imminent signing into law of a statewide ban on texting while driving.

1. For more information, contact:
Sarah Briggs
AT&T Public Affairs
614-223-7641
sarah.briggs@att.com
POLL FINDS 43 PERCENT OF TEENS ADMIT TO TEXTING & DRIVING
AT&T campaign educating drivers on dangers of texting while driving
Governor Kasich to sign House Bill 99 on Friday to prohibit texting while driving in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 31, 2012 — Take out your wireless device and read the last text message you
received. Would reading or responding to that text while driving be worth risking a car accident or
injury? Chances are, that text message could wait.
That’s why AT&T applauds the efforts of the Ohio legislature – specifically Representatives
Damschroder and Garland, as well as Governor Kasich – on their efforts to pass and sign into law
House 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 issue
and 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 using
any electronic communication device while driving, except in case of an emergency. The legislation
also 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 off
the road,‖ said Tom Pelto, President of AT&T Ohio. ―But the reality is, they are risking not only their own
lives, but the lives of others every time they send or read a text while driving. It is a serious issue that
has a simple solution: it can wait.‖
AT&T recently released a survey that demonstrates just how significant the texting and driving issue is
among teenagers.
Key Findings:
75 percent of teens say texting while driving is very dangerous – but 43 percent admit to
doing so.

2. 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 and
the 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 consumers
and teenagers in particular about the dangers of texting while driving, while also helping Ohioans
become familiar with the provisions of the new state law.
AT&T recently received the National Organizations for Youth Safety 2012 Youth Choice Award for
ongoing 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.
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