Delaware State Representative Scott, AT&T Remind Delawareans: Texting 'Can Wait'

DOVER, Del., April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delaware State Representative Darryl M. Scott (D-Dover) has teamed with AT&T to remind all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving. Today's announcement is part of an ongoing national campaign launched by AT&T to raise awareness about the risks of texting and 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.

"Since the day I was elected, I've fought for legislation that would protect the citizens of Delaware and those who travel to and through our state," said Rep. Scott. "I am committed to doing whatever I can to spread the message that all drivers need to avoid distractions – including reading or writing text messages – while they're on our roads."

Rep. Scott has served in the Delaware legislature since 2008. He serves on several committees, including the Telecommunication Internet & Technology committee, and is the sponsor of a distracted driving bill in the state House.

"Representative Scott has been at the forefront of efforts to promote safe driving in Delaware," said J. Michael Schweder, president, AT&T Mid Atlantic. "By lending his voice to this effort, I'm hopeful that together we will be able to drive home the message that paying attention to the road – not sending or reading that one last text message – is paramount."

The initiative recently caught the attention of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who highlighted this campaign in his blog, Fast Lane, saying: "It's dramatic stuff, and I think it's astonishingly effective."

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 the company'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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