9.14.18 - Icw Sim Event La Crosse Logan Hs PR

News Release
For more information, contact:

Jessica Erickson, AT&T
608-692-5340
[email protected]
It Can Wait Virtual Reality Experience Visits Logan High

to Show Dangers of Smartphone Use While Driving
New AT&T Research Shows 81% of People Admit to Texting Behind the Wheel;
AT&T, AAA & Wisconsin State Patrol Team Up to Highlight Dangers
LA CROSSE, Friday, September 14, 2018 – Over 200 sophomores from La Crosse Logan High School learned today about the
dangers of smartphone activities while driving when the new AT&T It Can Wait virtual reality experience visited the school.
Logan High School teamed up with AT&T, AAA and the Wisconsin State Patrol as part of the It Can Wait® campaign to remind
students that smartphone activity should wait until after driving. Teens were also encouraged to sign a pledge to keep their eyes
on the road and not on their phones.
“We know many of our teens are tempted by smartphone distractions every time they get behind the wheel,” said Logan
Principal Wally Gnewikow. “That’s why we feel it is so important to remind our students about the dangers – and potentially
deadly consequences – of distracted driving. We are happy to host the AT&T It Can Wait simulator and encourage our students
to put down their phones while driving. No text or selfie is worth a life.”
As part of the It Can Wait experience, students came face-to-face with the very real dangers of distracted driving and interacted
with a memorial wall, a wall of keys representing lives lost, and a wall made to look like crushed car parts. They also watched
two new films produced by AT&T that feature stories of teenage boys killed by smartphone distracted driving (Caleb’s story and
Forrest’s story).
“The message of our It Can Wait campaign is simple – distracted driving is never okay,” said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of
AT&T Wisconsin. “One glance at your phone while driving can change everything and even cost you your life. We are urging all
drivers, especially our teens, to keep their eyes on the road and not on their phones.”
The AT&T It Can Wait virtual reality experience is visiting La Crosse as part of the company’s nationwide tour to raise awareness
about the dangers of distracted driving. Other Wisconsin stops this weekend and next week include Baraboo, Madison and
Milwaukee.
New research1 from AT&T shows 81% of people admit to texting behind the wheel, while 64% admit to snapping and viewing
photos while driving. Other smartphone activities people say they do while driving include: playing music (64%); emailing (60%);
accessing social media (50%); surfing the net (47%); watching or streaming videos (36%); and even video chatting (27%). Nearly
4 in 10 people call distracted driving a habit. And nearly a quarter of people don’t see it as a major problem.
However, research also shows taking action and speaking up can help reduce distracted driving. Seven in 10 drivers who have
pledged at www.ItCanWait.com are keeping their commitment to not use their smartphones while driving. And 57% of people
are more likely to stop driving distracted if a friend or passenger pressures them to.
“It’s disturbing to know that most drivers you pass on the road are likely texting on their phones,” said State Rep. Jill Billings.
“The It Can Wait campaign is so important to not only raising awareness about the pervasiveness of the problem, but also
encouraging our young people to be leaders in advocating for change and a commitment to putting their phones down while
driving.”
Wisconsin banned texting while driving over seven years ago on December 1, 2010.
“Taking your eyes off the road, even for a few moments, can have tragic consequences,” said Wisconsin State Patrol
Superintendent J.D. Lind. “To ensure the safety of all travelers, we need drivers to stay focused on the road ahead, slow down,
and make sure everyone in their vehicle is buckled up.”
AT&T’s It Can Wait campaign began in 2010 with a focus on texting while driving, but has now expanded to include the broader
dangers of using a smartphone behind the wheel. The effort has turned into a national social movement with support from
organizations all over the country, including the Wisconsin State Patrol and AAA. Since 2010, AT&T, AAA and the State Patrol
have partnered together to hold events in 140 cities throughout Wisconsin, reaching over 52,500 high school students.
Nationally, over 29 million people have taken the pledge to not drive distracted by their phone since 2010.
To learn more about the It Can Wait campaign and to take the pledge, please visit www.ItCanWait.com.
*About AT&T Communications

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we innovate to
improve lives. We have the nation’s largest and most reliable network and the nation’s best network for video streaming.** We’re building FirstNet just for first
responders and creating next-generation mobile 5G. With DIRECTV and DIRECTV NOW, we deliver entertainment people love to talk about. Our smart, highly
secure solutions serve over 3 million global businesses – nearly all of the Fortune 1000. And worldwide, our spirit of service drives employees to give back to their
communities.
AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). Learn more at att.com/CommunicationsNews.
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. Additional information
about AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at facebook.com/att and on YouTube
at youtube.com/att.
© 2018 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property
and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
**Coverage not available everywhere. Based on overall coverage in U.S. licensed/roaming areas. Reliability based on voice and data performance from
independent 3rd party data.
1Online survey with 7,505 respondents (total distracted drivers n=6,438) conducted by Kantar Added Value. Ongoing survey, data represented here were collected January 2017- December
2017. National panel sample (ages 15-54, drive, and have a smartphone).

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News Release

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It Can Wait Virtual Reality Experience Visits Logan High

*About AT&T Communications

AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). Learn more at att.com/CommunicationsNews.

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