News release from AT&T Ohio about new efforts in the It Can Wait campaign against texting while driving, announced on August 15, 2012.

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
AT&T CALLS ON NATION’S DRIVERS TO PLEDGE:
NEVER TEXT AND DRIVE
Americans Urged to Make Lifelong Commitment on Sept. 19
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 15, 2012 — Wireless provider AT&T*, seeking to bring attention to a
serious road-safety problem, today urged all Americans to pledge to stop texting while driving,
and then to join with others Sept. 19 to make a lifelong commitment to never do so again.
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.
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
– 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, 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)
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:

2. 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.
“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.
“Working with teens day-in and day-out, we see firsthand the impacts that peer pressure – and
peer influence – have on the decisions they make,” said Sandra Spavone, executive director of
the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). “That’s what makes AT&T’s efforts so
effective. They understand that – by working with these teens and incorporating their feedback
programmatically – ultimately, we’ll reach even more of that critical and impressionable
audience with a message they’ll hear.”

3. Together with NOYS, AT&T has pioneered more than 12 teen-led, teen-focused educational
summits, with plans to hold 10 or more locally by the end of the year. NOYS is a collaboration of
national, youth-serving organizations, including non-profit organizations – such as Students
Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving – and government
agencies, such as the Governor’s Highway Safety Administration (GHSA). AT&T shares in their
common goal of promoting safe and healthy behaviors among our nation’s youth.
In addition, many other governmental, corporate, non-profit and other organizations have
already 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 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.

4. 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
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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