AT&T Amps Up Campaign Against Texting While Driving
Chief executive is speaking out against the problem; the company will offer a free app that disables text function.
By Claire_Martin Sep 21, 2012 10:54AM
Since it launched its "It Can Wait" campaign in 2010, telecommunications giant AT&T has been committed to educating the public on the dangers of texting while driving, including its release of a harrowing documentary called "The Last Text." Recently, the company's chairman and chief executive -- who himself had someone close to him cause a texting accident -- has only grown more vocal on the subject, according to The New York Times. Wednesday, which was No Texting and Driving Day in New Jersey, an AT&T executive spoke to high-school students alongside the state attorney general. Meanwhile, the company's chairman and CEO, Randall Stephenson, met with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski to ask people to make a lifelong pledge to not text and drive.
"AT&T in particular has invested quite a bit in messaging, and I'm hopeful it will make consumers aware," Bill Windsor, chief safety officer of Nationwide Insurance, told The New York Times.
AT&T is not the only phone carrier that's rallied behind the anti-texting message. In fact, Verizon Wireless has supported state and federal legislation to prohibit texting and driving -- a step AT&T has fallen short of taking. Instead, it pushes for market-driven solutions and engages in efforts to change the driving culture.
To that end, on Sept. 30 the company is offering a free version of its DriveMode application, which disables a smartphone's texting capability when it's traveling faster than 25 mph. T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint offer similar apps, but industry experts say they have failed to catch on.
In the future, the technology could be used to block phone calls as well, effectively re-creating a smartphone-free zone.
All of this is positive news in the face of a problem that is considered more dangerous than drunken driving and that some studies have shown is still on the rise.
3Comments
Sep 24, 2012 6:42AM
What scares me is that people don't seem to have an ounce of common sense and even need to be told not to text while driving. They're apparently too stupid to have a driver's license in the first place. All the attempts at education, mandates, laws, etc. cannot help those too dumb to help themselves and continue to text while driving. Came upon just such an idiot last night. He's ahead of me stopped at a stop sign. I come up behind him. No traffic in sight in any direction but he's not budging. Then I catch a glimpse of him in his left side mirror and he's looking down texting (illegal in my state) rather than proceeding through the stop sign. I give him a few seconds hoping he'll snap out of it and go, but it took a blow of the horn to wake him up. As I continue to follow him he's driving 20 MPH in a 40 MPH zone and weaving all over the road as he continues to look down and send/receive text messages. You can bet they're going to be prying his Mazda off a utility pole in the not too distant future. Let's hope he doesn't hurt/kill someone else in the process.
Sep 22, 2012 7:08AM
Sep 22, 2012 1:58AM
Report
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
EXPLORE NEW CARS
MORE ON MSN AUTOS
8 most outrageous SUVs on earthMSN Autos treks the globe to find the SUV of your dreams — or nightmares.
advertisement
ABOUT EXHAUST NOTES
Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.
Have a story idea? Tip us off at exhaustnotes@live.com.
