AT&T’s New Simulator Shows Dangers of Distracted Driving
By Craig Knapp on September 21, 2015

We’ve told you about AT&T’s ‘It Can Wait’ campaign and we’ve shown you some of the impactful videos they’ve created to show the consequences of distracted driving (their most recent video has nearly 5.6 million views on YouTube). If you or your teens have not seen the video yet, it’s definitely worth the watch. But now, AT&T is at it again – and this time they’re trying something hands-on.

AT&T headed to Chapin High School in Chapin, South Carolina to give students the chance to get behind the wheel, phone in hand, and experience the consequences that come with it. Students put virtual reality goggles on to experience three different scenarios: a close call, some closer calls, and a fatal accident. If it sounds scary, it’s supposed to be.

Research from AT&T shows 70-percent of people admit to using a phone while driving, 60-percent of people say they text and drive, 70-percent use Instagram while driving, 30-percent admit to using email or searching the web, and 10-percent use FaceTime.

Another study shows that using a cellphone while driving occupies roughly 40-percent of brain activity. Because of this, approximately 80-percent of all motor vehicle accidents are related to distracted driving. This is a serious problem and it’s one that AT&T believes can be lessened with education. By simply asking a peer or even a parent to put down the phone while driving, that person is 80-percent more likely to do so.

Right now, teens and parents alike can take the ‘It Can Wait’ pledge at www.itcanwait.com. More than 7.3 million people have already taken the pledge. You should, too.

You can watch the video of the simulator at Chaplin High School here.