As New Year's Eve Approaches, AT&T Aims to Reach Millions With Powerful Anti-Texting While Driving Message

/PRNewswire/ -- "Where u at." Those three words made up the last text message Mariah West read before her car crashed into a bridge, ending her life. Approaching one of the most dangerous days on the road – New Year's Eve – AT&T* today announced the release of a powerful new documentary featuring stories from individuals, including Mariah's parents, whose lives have been altered by texting while driving.

The 10-minute piece will be distributed nationwide to schools, safety organizations, government agencies and more as part of AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign. Each of the eight individuals included in the full-length reel volunteered their stories to help AT&T educate wireless customers – particularly youth – on the risks of tapping away on their cell phones in the car. The documentary can be viewed online at no charge on AT&T's "It Can Wait" website and on AT&T's YouTube page.

"Distracted driving is an epidemic, particularly among teens who are confident in their ability to text or talk while driving," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Of the 5,500 people killed last year due to distracted driving, the largest proportion of fatalities occurred among young people under the age of 20. I hope teens will take this powerful video to heart and realize that when you're behind the wheel, no text message or phone call is worth the risk."

"This documentary is a raw look at the reality and hazards of texting while driving, and we hope it will make wireless customers think twice before pulling out their cell phones in the driver's seat," said Cathy Coughlin, senior executive vice president and global marketing officer for AT&T. "As a global telecommunications company, it is our responsibility to bring these risks to light, especially now during the holiday season and as we approach New Year's Eve."

The documentary is supported by CTIA – The Wireless Association, The National Safety Council (NSC), National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).

AT&T is working to distribute the video to numerous government agencies and safety organizations around the country, as well as to educators, students and policymakers to put real faces to the growing problem and spread the message. It will also appear on the websites and communication channels such as newsletters and social media pages of NOYS (http://noys.org/), along with tens of thousands of schools affiliated with the organization.

In addition, AT&T will share the documentary with its wireless customers, employees and families through:

* AT&T's Teen Advisory Council – 10 teens of AT&T employees from across the country – and their schools;
* AT&T U-verse® Mobile, AT&T U-verse Online and AT&T U-verse TV On Demand (airing continuously beginning this week on a dedicated channel at no cost to subscribers);
* The AT&T employee "Defensive Driving" courses required for all company employees who drive as part of their job;
* AT&T's Smart Controls(SM) page (www.att.com/smartcontrols), an all-in-one destination with information and tools for parents and children on how to stay safe with technology, and tips to manage content, spending, time and location;
* AT&T's "It Can Wait" resource center (www.att.com/txtngcanwait) and www.att.com multimedia download center; and
* AT&T's Friends & Family page (http://itcanwait.att.com/)


AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign launched in March 2010, and to date, more than 21,600 consumers have taken the pledge not to text and drive on AT&;T's Facebook page, in addition to more than 16,700 AT&T employees through its internal social media channel. More than 10,000 pledges have also been made on the AT&T Friends & Family page – an employee-led initiative encouraging others to commit to the cause.

AT&T continues to raise awareness about the issue of texting and driving through a multifaceted initiative. The campaign spans print, radio, TV and online advertising, in-store signage, collateral and online billing. In addition, parents, high school educators and, most importantly, youth, can visit AT&T's online resource center. The site includes downloadable information about texting while driving such as a parent-teen pledge, a teen-teen pledge, a poster, a brochure, safety tips and more.

Since 2009, the company has revised its wireless and motor vehicle policies to more clearly and explicitly prohibit texting and driving, impacting its more than 265,000 employees; incorporated a don't-text-and-drive message on the plastic clings that protect handset screens on the majority of new devices sold in AT&T's more than company-owned 2,200 stores; and has integrated campaign messaging in AT&T catalogs, in-store signage and collateral, bills, e-mails, newsletters and more.

As one of the nation's leading employers and with one of the largest commercial fleets, AT&T has also incorporated a section on the hazards of texting and driving in its defensive driving classes, which all employees who drive as part of their job are required to take.

For additional information on AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign, please visit http://www.att.com/txtngcanwait.

*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.

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Nationwide Drop in Alcohol-Related Driving Fatalities Demonstrates Progress in the Fight Against Drunk Driving

/PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, the world's leading spirits, wine and beer company and an industry leader in promoting responsible drinking, applauds the efforts that contributed to a 7.4% decline in alcohol-related driving fatalities in 2009. This data, reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found that 33 states and Puerto Rico experienced a decline in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2009 compared to 2008. Nevertheless, Diageo believes more must be done to reduce alcohol-related fatalities.

"This data shows that significant progress is being made in the fight against drunk driving, and that strong anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns are having a positive effect. But the reality is that the fight is far from over," said Guy L. Smith, Executive Vice President of Diageo, North America. "Diageo has a zero tolerance policy toward drunk driving, and we call upon elected officials across the country to pass meaningful legislation that enforces more severe penalties for hardcore and repeat drunk drivers."

Research shows that there is one group of drunk driving offenders that should be the focus of efforts to combat alcohol-related fatalities: hardcore drunk drivers, repeat offenders and those who drive with a high blood alcohol concentration of .15 or above. Hardcore drunk drivers are responsible for approximately 63 percent of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, according to the NHTSA.

Smith continued, "States must enact proven and effective comprehensive legislation that targets these offenders, and we are ready, willing and able to work with state legislatures to pass appropriate laws." He noted that Diageo has a strong record of supporting measures that combat hardcore drunk driving and is working to encourage that laws are passed in many states that do not have comprehensive drunk driving programs in place.

Diageo is a founding member and major supporter of The Century Council, an organization funded by some of the country's leading distillers committed to developing programs to combat drunk driving and underage drinking. These programs include 'Combating Drunk Driving Judicial Education' and 'Girl Talk.' The Century Council also works with a broad array of education and prevention professionals on alcohol issues. In addition, Diageo is an active supporter of the Federal Trade Commission's anti-underage drinking campaign, 'We Don't Serve Teens'.

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State Farm® Survey Shows Fewer Teens Believe They Will Have an Accident or be Killed Texting While Driving Versus Drinking While Driving

A new State Farm ® survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, shows that despite academic research indicating the consequences of texting while driving can be as severe as drunk driving, some teens still don't see it that way.

In the survey, fewer teens view texting while driving as leading to fatal consequences as compared to drinking while driving. Of 14-17 years-olds who intend to have or already have a driver's license, the survey found that 36 percent strongly agree that if they regularly text and drive they could be killed one day. In contrast, the majority of teens (55 percent) strongly agree that drinking while driving could be fatal.

The survey also showed that teens think the chances of getting into an accident are still higher when drinking while driving versus texting while driving. In the survey, of these same teens, 63 percent strongly agree they could get into an accident if they text and drive. This compares with 78 percent who strongly agree they could get into an accident if they drink and drive. The survey was conducted in July among 697 U.S. teens 14-17 years of age.

The awareness gap becomes more pronounced among teens who admit to texting while driving versus teens who refrain from the practice. Among teens that have never texted while driving, 73 percent strongly agree they will get into an accident if they text and drive. Yet among teens that admit to texting while driving, only 52 percent strongly agree they will get into an accident as a result of the practice.

"Some teens still think the consequences of reaching for a cell phone are less severe than reaching for a beer bottle," said Laurette Stiles, vice president of Strategic Resources at State Farm. "We have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to helping teens understand that texting while driving can be every bit as dangerous as drinking while driving. It's an awareness gap that must be addressed."

Reaction Times

In the survey, aspiring and current teen drivers also think their chances of narrowly avoiding an accident are better texting while driving versus drinking while driving. With texting while driving, 55 percent of these teens agree they will have some situations when they almost get into an accident but will recover just in time. This compares to 36 percent of these teens who agree they can recover just in time in situations where they are drinking and driving.

While many teens may believe their ability to respond during a texting while driving incident is greater than with drinking while driving, research shows that texting may be as dangerous as or more so than drinking. In a 2008 study by TRL, the United Kingdom's Transport Research Laboratory, reaction time of drivers 17-24 years of age was reduced by 35 percent when typing a text message, compared with 12 percent when driving after consuming alcohol to the legal limit. A similar study was released in 2006 by the University of Utah using participants 22-34 years of age. This study found that the impairments associated with talking on a cell phone can be as profound as those associated with driving while intoxicated during those times when drivers are directly engaged in cell phone use. Researchers also pointed out that drinking creates impairment throughout the entire practice of driving. They found that texting while driving only creates impairment while the driver is directly engaged in the practice. Once reengaged in driving, drivers who text do not display the same characteristics as intoxicated drivers during routine operation of a motor vehicle.

The National Safety Council estimates that 200,000 crashes each year are caused by drivers who are texting.

The Role of Parents

The survey also underscores that parental engagement on texting while driving is not fully breaking through when compared to discussions about drinking and driving.

Of teens who talk often with their parents about driving, 82 percent strongly agree that if they regularly drink and drive they will get into an accident. That number falls to 72 percent among teens who rarely or never talk to their parents about driving. A similar pattern was evident around texting while driving but in these cases teens view the consequences of texting as less severe. In the survey, 67 percent of teens who often talk to their parents about driving strongly agree that if they regularly text and drive someday they will get into an accident. This compared with 56 percent of teens who rarely or never talk to their parents about driving.

The Survey

For this State Farm survey, Harris Interactive conducted the survey within the United States on July 22-26, 2010 among 697 U.S. 14-17 year-olds, including 694 who intend to have or already have a driver's license. Figures for age, sex, geographic region, and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. The estimated margin of error is +/- 3.7 percentage points for the entire sample and is higher among subgroups.

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State Highway Safety Agencies Supporting Oprah's 'No Phone Zone' Day

/PRNewswire/ -- The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and its member State Highway Safety Agencies are joining forces with Oprah Winfrey and Harpo Studios to fight distracted driving during "No Phone Zone Day" on Friday April 30, 2010.

Affiliates nationwide will air a special live episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" devoted to dangers associated with cell phone use and texting while driving. Special viewing rallies will be held in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., bringing together victims' families, elected officials, advocacy organizations, parents, youth, and law enforcement to discuss best practices and steps to limit distracted driving in their own communities. In addition, the "Oprah" show will debut a new sponsored public service announcement campaign. All participants and viewers will be asked to pledge to make their cars a "No Phone Zone."

GHSA's State Highway Safety Office members are participating in the viewing rallies and other community mobilization activities. GHSA is encouraging all states to spread the word through news releases, community events, and through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. States with distracted driving laws may use the day to draw attention to the legislation. Currently, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have texting laws. (For a full list, visit www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html).

GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey has personally taken the "No Phone Zone" pledge and will participate in the Washington D.C. rally. He notes that "GHSA has always supported a multifaceted approach to combating distracted driving. While state legislation and enforcement are both critical factors, education efforts are also important--and what better person to raise public awareness than Oprah Winfrey? As a society, we need to make cell phone use while driving as unacceptable as drunk driving. We are very grateful to Harpo and Ms. Winfrey for their leadership and commitment."

Also supporting Oprah's "No Phone Zone Day" are: the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS), FocusDriven, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and RADD - the Entertainment Industry's Voice for Road Safety.

For a list of state activities, visit: www.ghsa.org/html/projects/dist_drv/npz/2010.html.

To take the "No Phone Zone" pledge, visit: www.oprah.com/nophonezone.

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States Increase Efforts to Combat Drunk Driving

/PRNewswire/ -- Drunk driving remains one of America's deadliest crimes. And the last few weeks of summer vacation are a time of increased road travel and drunk driving fatalities and injuries. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, August and September are among the most deadly periods on the roadways. The nation has made dramatic progress in reducing drunk driving deaths, but there were still more than 11,000 alcohol-impaired deaths in 2008 -- deaths that were completely preventable.

This is why GHSA's member State Highway Safety Offices are joining forces with law enforcement officers across the country to take part in the national "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." crackdown on impaired driving during the Labor Day holiday period. The crackdown, which runs from August 21 through September 7, includes sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, as well as a $13 million national media campaign supplemented by state-funded advertising.

This year, increased awareness is focused on women, who represent a growing percentage of drunk drivers. According to FBI figures that cover about 56 percent of country, the number of women arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was 28.8 percent higher in 2007 than it was in 1998, while the number of men arrested declined 7.5 percent. Additionally, a new study from the Washington University School of Medicine reports a 40 percent increase in binge drinking among women ages 21 to 23 from 1979 to 2006.

State data also demonstrate this trend. In California, women accounted for nearly 19 percent of all DUI arrests in 2007, compared with 14 percent in 1998. Minnesota also saw a 5 percent increase in female DUI arrests during this period. Other states including Vermont, Missouri, New Jersey and New Mexico reported similar trends. States are beginning to address this trend in their media messaging. New Mexico recently conducted a campaign entitled "Women Drive Drunk, Too."

Barbara Harsha, Executive Director of GHSA, expects more states to focus on anti-DUI efforts toward women. Harsha says, "Women are driving more like men and, unfortunately, have picked up some of their dangerous habits. While males continue to represent the large majority of DUI arrests, it is alarming that women's rates have increased so significantly."

While the crackdown's enforcement and education components are helping to curb the number of drunk drivers on the road, progress is also being made on the legislative and technological fronts. An increasing number of states now require all convicted DUI offenders have an alcohol ignition interlock installed on their vehicle. This device measures a driver's Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) through a breath test before the car is allowed to start. Just this year, three more states have enacted this law, bringing the total number of states with such rules to 11.

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