AT&T is celebrating a major milestone in its IT CAN WAIT campaign to end smartphone distracted driving: 10 million-plus pledges to not drive distracted.
According to findings from new It Can Wait research, almost half of people who pledged said they now don’t use their smartphones while driving. Those who share their promise or pledge with others are even more likely to stop, and more likely to speak up to others. Of those who shared their promise or pledge with others:
- 4-in-10 asked a friend or family member to not use their smartphone while driving.
- Nearly one-third asked a driver to not use their smartphone while driving when riding as a passenger.
- Nearly 4-in-10 asked a passenger to operate their smartphone while they are driving.
In the 6 years since AT&T launched It Can Wait, the campaign has:
- Helped grow awareness of the dangers of smartphone distracted driving to more than 90% of audiences surveyed.
- Inspired more than 5 million downloads of the free AT&T DriveMode® app, now available in Spanish and open to all carriers.
- Worked with state departments of transportation on research that suggests a correlation between It Can Wait campaign activities and a reduction in crashes.
- Collaborated with AT&T data scientists on research that shows how statewide anti-texting laws impact the rate of texting while driving.
While 10 million-plus pledges is a significant achievement, there’s more work to be done. AT&T is striving to reach 16 million pledges by the end of 2016.
The company is working with its employees and grassroots organizations on a pledge competition throughout October.
Remember, the commitment to keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone is needed to make smartphone-use while driving an issue of the past.
