'Texting Can and Must Wait' When Driving

The stats say it all: those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in some type of safety-critical event compared to those drivers who don't text while they drive.

It's with that in mind that First Selectman Ed Edelson issued a proclamation designating Sept. 19 as “No Texting While Driving Day” and called for Southbury residents to take the pledge never to text and drive.

“Text messaging has become the way many people communicate today, which means some people are doing it at the worst possible time — while driving,” Edelson said. “We need to help spread the message and educate our community that when it comes to driving, texting can and must wait.”

According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in some type of safety critical event as compared to those drivers who don't text while they drive. Texting while driving is involved in more than 100,000 motor vehicles crashes each year, often causing injuries and deaths, a press release from the Town of Southbury states.

In 2009, AT&T launched the “It Can Wait” campaign in Connecticut and throughout the United States to educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving, by encouraging consumers to take the personal pledge not to text while driving.

The Town of Southbury joins AT&T in calling on all drivers to go to www.itcanwait.com to take the personal no-texting-and-driving pledge, and then share their promise with others via Twitter (#itcanwait) and Facebook.