In less than two minutes, Rami Bally learned a lesson that will last a lifetime.
Bally, of Stevenson High School, learned how difficult and dangerous it is to concentrate on both his smart phone and the wheel while driving.
"If you text and drive you may either get into an accident or pulled over," he said.
Bally was one of more than 100 students who were able to experience a virtual reality simulator during his lunch hour.
The simulator, sponsored by AT&T, is a video-like unit where students have to follow a course and respond to actual texts sent by teenagers.
As the driver navigates the course, they must adhere to common driving laws, such as speed and traffic lights – all while trying to respond to text messages.
"We would rather they experience a problem here than on the road," said CJ Johnson, tour manager of AT&T's It Can Wait program. It Can Wait is a national movement tapping into the power of social media and personal networks to make texting and driving as unacceptable as drinking and driving.
It urges drivers to visit www.ItCanWait.com, where they can pledge not to text and drive, and share their pledge with others via Twitter (#ItCanWait) and Facebook. It also offers a host of educational resources and information on the issue – including a documentary featuring families impacted by texting and driving crashes.
Research shows that speaking up against texting while driving works. A ConnectSafely.org survey sponsored by AT&T found that:
- 78% of teen drivers say they're likely not to text and drive if friends tell them it is wrong.
- 90% say they'd stop if encouraged by a friend.
- 93% would stop if encouraged by a parent in the car.
