Sept. 22, 2014—As part of its Distracted Driving Initiative, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) issued a call on Friday for its members and others in the collision industry to join the nationwide “It Can Wait” campaign by launching programs in local communities to help reduce danger on the road due to texting and driving.
Organizations and individuals can sign up at www.ItCanWait.com to get resources that will help them share their commitment not to text and drive through social media and personalize the movement in their communities.
The campaign’s goal is to create a social stigma around the dangerous habit of texting while driving by asking individuals to take a pledge and to encourage others in their community to do the same.
This year’s “It Can Wait” campaign focuses on sharing and promoting the use of the hashtag symbol #X. By using #X in text messages, social media or email, drivers can pause their conversations and let friends know they will respond once they reach their destination.
“Our collision industry is on the front lines of helping people improve their safety on the road,” said Dan Young, chairman of the NABC’s Distracted Driving Initiative. “Through the ‘It Can Wait’ campaign, we can educate drivers about the dangers of texting and driving, and engage drivers, their families and friends in putting down the phone and focusing on the road.”
A recent survey by ConnectSafely.org found that individuals who speak up can have a profound impact, particularly on teens:
- 78% of teen drivers say they’re likely not to text and drive if friends tell them it's wrong or stupid.
- 90% say they’d stop if a friend in the car asked them to.
- 93% would stop if a parent in the car asked them to.
- 44% say that they would be thankful if a passenger complained about their texting while driving.
“Texting while driving is a leading cause of vehicle accidents for teen drivers and one of the most important issues facing our communities today,” said Chuck Sulkala, NABC executive director. “We urge everyone in the collision industry to take a leadership role and call on drivers of all ages to pay attention to the dangers of all forms of distracted driving, including phone calls, reading e-mails, eating behind the wheel, and other activities.”
