New AT&T Documentary is a Sad Reminder of the Dangers of Texting and Driving

There is a lot of information about the dangers of texting and driving out there. Most of us know, on some level, that it is an incredibly dangerous distraction on the road, increasing the risk of accidents more than drunk driving. Despite this, rates of texting and driving accidents keep increasing as the technology becomes more prevalent.

AT&T has launched a campaign against texting and driving called It Can Wait. The latest effort in this campaign is the production of a short documentary called “The Last Text.”

Family and friends of those who were in texting-related accidents often say the same thing: “She had done it so many times before without a problem.” The film paints a poignant picture of the effects of texting and driving. Two stories focus on young women who sent brief text messages that caused fatal accidents, leaving their family and friends behind to wonder why they thought it was worth it. Another young man tells the story of how he struck and killed a bicyclist while replying to a text message, an act he must deal with for the rest of his life. Another segment tells the story of a young man who was a passenger in a car while the driver was texting. He survived the accident, but head trauma sustained during the accident has changed his life forever.

AT&T’s efforts to curb texting and driving also include the release of a smartphone app to help reduce the temptation and ability to use your cell phone while driving. The app silences phone calls and notifications to reduce the temptation of checking your phone. It also allows you to customize an auto-reply message to those trying to contact you, letting them know you are driving. The app also limits the email and app functionality of your phone to avoid habits like “webbing” – a growing trend where drivers use their smart phone to browse the internet or social media while behind the wheel. The app is available for Android here.

All of this is in an effort to curb distracted driving accidents related to technology use and save lives. There is a pledge available at the website that summarizes the effort:

“No text message, email, website or video is worth the risk of endangering my life or the lives of others on the road. I pledge to never text and drive and will take action to educate others about the dangers of texting while driving. No text is worth the risk. It can wait.”

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DebhWD6ljZs