Colonel W. Steven Flaherty Joins AT&T in Reminding VIRGINIA Consumers That Texting 'Can Wait'
Public Awareness Campaign Aims at Keeping Drivers Safe, Protecting Consumers
RICHMOND, Va., March 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AT&T* has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the risks of texting and driving. Today, Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, joined this important public safety initiative and encouraged all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving.
AT&T's national campaign features true stories about text messages that were sent or received before someone's life was altered, or even ended, because of texting and driving. By featuring the real stories, the campaign will demonstrate how insignificant a text message is compared to the potentially dire consequences of reading or responding while driving.
"Trying to do many things at once has become so common that many people don't think about the serious consequences when it's done behind the wheel," said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. "It only takes a few seconds to be distracted by texting when driving, but those few seconds can change a life forever."
Our goal is to convince wireless users that it's critical to hold off on texting until they reach their destination by showcasing the consequences of those that didn't.
"Colonel Flaherty has been an advocate for citizens of the Commonwealth's safety and we applaud him for taking a leadership role on this important public safety issue," said J. Michael Schweder, President, AT&T Mid-Atlantic Region. "We are proud to have so many consumers using our devices and our network to connect with their friends and family, but we are encouraging them to not do so when it might be unsafe for them or other drivers."
While the campaign is important for all drivers, it is particularly focused on young drivers.
For example, in one of the television spots, the text "Where u at?" flashes on the screen and a mother says, "This is the text my daughter was reading when she drove into oncoming traffic." The ad also includes the message "No text is worth dying over" and the campaign's tagline, "Txtng & Drivng ... It Can Wait."
The new campaign will span print, radio, TV and online advertising – which will be rolled out in the coming months – as well as in-store signage, collateral and online billing. In addition, parents, high school educators and, most importantly, youth, can now visit AT&T's online resource center www.att.com/txtngcanwait. The site includes downloadable information about texting while driving such as a parent-teen pledge; a teen-teen pledge; a poster; a brochure; safety tips; and more.
AT&T also has launched a Facebook application, which can be found at www.facebook.com/att. Friends can share this application with one another to encourage each other to take the pledge to not text and drive. AT&T will also be promoting the pledge via a "twitition" on Twitter to ask followers to rally around the cause. You can follow @ShareATT on Twitter.
In September 2009, AT&T announced a commitment to raise awareness about the issue of texting and driving through a multifaceted initiative to educate employees, customers and the general public about using wireless devices safely while driving. That commitment included revising AT&T's wireless and motor vehicle policies to more clearly and explicitly prohibit texting and driving, impacting its approximately 280,000 employees; incorporated a don't-text-and-drive message on the plastic clings that protect handset screens on the majority of new devices sold in AT&T's more than 2,200 stores; and began to integrate campaign messaging in AT&T catalogs, in-store signage and collateral, bills, e-mails, newsletters and more.
By using multiple touch points, AT&T expects the campaign to reach millions.
* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing, advertising sales and interactive local search applications. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.
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