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AT&T, NJ MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION REMIND GARDEN STATE DRIVERS: JUST DRIVE...IT CAN WAIT
It Can Wait is a national movement urging drivers to keep their eyes on the road, not on the phone while driving.
New research shows that 7-in-10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving. That’s why AT&T and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) have teamed up to remind New Jersey drivers of the dangers of smartphone driving distractions.
To drive home the message and these new findings, AT&T set up a virtual reality simulator at the NJMVC center in West Deptford, allowing the center’s customers to experience firsthand how dangerous it can be when you take your eyes off the road and direct them onto your phone.
“Simply put, using a smartphone while driving can be deadly – for drivers, their passengers and for everyone on the road,” said Charlene Brown, AT&T’s regional vice president for External Affairs in New Jersey. “Behind the wheel, everything can change in the blink of an eye. A post, a selfie, a text, a scroll, an email—one look is all it takes. This new simulation shows the real consequences of looking at your phone while driving. Together with the Motor Vehicle Commission, we want to remind all drivers to just drive; it can wait.”
Find out what's happening in West Deptfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Raymond Martinez, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Chairman and Chief Administrator, said the event is part of its ongoing campaign known as Just Drive, which was launched earlier this year in an effort to combat the high incidence of talking and texting while driving. Just Drive is a multi-media outreach and education campaign designed to make people think twice before engaging in this dangerous behavior.
“It’s not enough to simply tell people about fines and penalties. We all have to work together to change this dangerous behavior – just as we have done in educating motorists about the dangers of drinking and driving and in increasing seat belt usage. Over the coming months, the NJMVC’s “JustDrive” campaign and AT&T’s national “It Can Wait” campaign hopes to reach millions of drivers – before they get a ticket or before they are involved in a crash. Our message is simple; driving is a serious personal responsibility. Be safe – just drive,” said Martinez.
Find out what's happening in West Deptfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It Can Wait is a national movement urging drivers to visit www.ItCanWait.com, where they can pledge to keep their eyes on the road, not on their phone, and share their pledge with others via Twitter (#ItCanWait) and Facebook. What started in 2010 as a campaign focused on not texting and driving has now expanded its focus to the broader dangers of smartphone use behind the wheel.
