Auburn Hills urges residents to refrain from texting while driving

City designates Sept. 19 as “Drive 4 Pledges Day” as part of national safety effort

Media contacts: Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications; 248.651.7536 cell: 586.817.8414; barbara@eafocus.com; Stephanie Carroll, City of Auburn Hills; 248.364.6802; scarroll@auburnhills.org 

Auburn Hills, Mich.—August 23, 2013— The City of Auburn Hills issued a proclamation designating Sept. 19 as “Drive 4 Pledges Day” and called upon the city’s residents to take the pledge to never text and drive. The “Drive 4 Pledges Day” is part of AT&T’s nationwide “It Can Wait” campaign to educate the public about the dangers of texting while driving.

“We have become a society attached to our smart phones. We have them on us from the time we wake until we go to sleep and feel lost when our phone isn’t on us,” said Pete Auger, Auburn Hills’ city manager. “Unfortunately, this attachment to the phone does not stop when behind the wheel. Whether it’s texting, tweeting or emailing, when it comes to driving and using the phone, the public needs to realize the message they are about to send can 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 vehicle crashes each year, often causing injuries and deaths.

“We’re not trying to scare residents, but simply raise awareness that the potential outcomes of texting while driving can be life threatening. No message is worth that risk,” said Auger. “Our hope is that by increasing awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and having residents take the pledge, our roadways will become safer for all.”