On Sept. 19 AT&T recognized their fist annual Drive 4 Pledges Day, addressing the rising number of drivers who text while driving.

“I think texting and driving is really easy, and I can do it pretty well,” senior Dakota Hoppe said. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

AT&T created www.itcanwait.com to educate drivers about the dangers of texting a driving. Drivers can read memoirs and short stories about those who have lost loved ones from an accident involving a driver distracted from texting and take the virtual pledge not to text and drive. There is also an online driving simulator game that demonstrates what it’s like to drive while texting, and  short public service announcements from celebrities such as One Republic, Tim McGraw, Demi Lavato, and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas addressing the consequences of texting and driving.

The site also contains a video called “Another Perspective” which shows a girl texting and driving and the accident that results. To view the video, click here. http://www.itcanwait.com/videos/another-perspective/

Last year, the National Safety Council concluded that over 100,000 car crashes were caused by texting and driving. Almost 25 percent of these crashes were fatal.

“It’s stupid to text and drive, “Junior Katie Krawczyk said. “You could rear end someone, or worse.”

Drivers also share their stories on Twitter by hash-tagging their story under #itcanwait. An example of a tweet about texting and driving came from a West Virgina firefighter who tweeted, “As a firefighter, I see a lot of accidents. Don’t let yourself be the next person I cut out of a car.”

The Department of Transportation supported AT&T in their Drive 4 Pledges Day by sponsoring producer Werner Herzog’s 34 minute documentary, “From One Second to the Next,” about the dangers and consequences of texting and driving, and includes four detailed accounts of driving accidents and deaths caused by texting behind the wheel. To view the video, click here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BqFkRwdFZ0 Many schools around the country are showing the YouTube video in classes to promote awareness.