Duval HS Students Pledge Not to Text and Drive

Students at DuVal High School are learning the dangers of texting while driving first hand.

During a school assembly held Tuesday, students got behind the wheel of a chair simulator – designed to replicate a car environment – and tried to text without crashing. Most were unable to complete a lap.

It’s all part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign to educate teens about the dangers of texting while driving and have them pledge not to text and drive.

Students also heard from officials from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) and Prince George’s County. The message was clear – when it comes to texting while driving, It Can Wait.

"As everyone knows, texting while driving poses a serious safety threat, and is especially prevalent among our youngest drivers," said Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer for Prince George's County Public Schools. "I applaud AT&T and our partners in the community for their efforts to reach out to our youth and encourage them to focus on safety."

AT&T launched its “It Can Wait” campaign in 2009 to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving. More than 100,000 times each year, an automobile crashes and people are injured or die while a driver was texting and driving, according to the National Safety Council.