AT&T Releases Film To FIght Texting While Driving

With numerous states across the U.S adopting no texting while driving laws, telecom service giant AT&T has jumped on board with its own campaign.

The Dallas based company announced the It Can Wait campaign this past year, a directive to get people to stop texting while behind the wheel. To jump start the initiative, AT&T recently released a 10-minute documentary about the dangers of texting and driving, including a few real life stories. The company plans on distributing it to schools, safety organizations and government agencies.

Distracted driving is an epidemic, particularly among teens who are confident in their ability to text or talk while driving. Of the 5,500 people killed last year due to distracted driving, the largest proportion of fatalities occurred among young people under the age of 20. I hope teens will take this powerful video to heart and realize that when you're behind the wheel, no text message or phone call is worth the risk, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

AT&T said the company has gotten support from the CTIA, the Wireless Association, the National Safety Council, National Organization of Youth Safety and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. Through the It Can Wait initiative, it has gotten more than 21,600 consumers to pledge to not text and drive.

This documentary is a raw look at the reality and hazards of texting while driving, and we hope it will make wireless customers think twice before pulling out their cell phones in the driver's seat, Cathy Coughlin, senior executive vice president and global marketing officer for AT&T, said in a statement. As a global telecommunications company, it is our responsibility to bring these risks to light, especially now during the holiday season and as we approach New Year's Eve.