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Last week, AT&T launched an “It Can Wait” Campaign. Now this is not about whether or not you use their service, but are you willing to end the practice of texting while driving. This call to stop texting and driving is not a new one. Oprah launched a major initiative in 2010 challenging the nation starting with her own staff to end the use of mobile devices while driving. But Tom, it didn’t seem to stick.

The increased number of drivers on US roads (over 196 million) coupled with the over 327 million mobile devices in the hands of US citizens has created a perfect storm, the results of which have been 100,000 texting related crashes a year. In the time it takes you to type LMAO or BRT your 23 times more likely to be in an accident. If that was not bad enough 75% of teens say texting and driving is common with them and their friends.

What I don’t get is that we know its a problem. The AAA Foundation did a poll that showed 87% of responders believe that texting and driving is a VERY SERIOUS safety threat which is only 3% less than the 90% that said the same thing about drunk driving. If this real why is there not a movement? Sybil to you know what almost single handily changed how America looked at drunk driving? MADD. Mothers Against Drunk Driving was a movement that said not on our watch.

While many of us have problems demonizing texters the way we do drunk drivers, the results can be the same and the impairment caused by texting is actually worse. Let me break it down like this Car and Driver did a study that showed Unimpaired:

.54 seconds to brake

Legally drunk: add 4 feet

Reading e-mail: add 36 feet.

Sending a text: add 70 feet

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article courtesy of BlackAmericaWeb.com/Jeff Johnson

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Discussion: Stop Texting & Driving By Jeff Johnson  was originally published on praisecleveland.com