AT&T Simulator Shows Teens The Dangers Of Texting Behind The Wheel
FORT MEADE, Md. (WJZ)—Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teens, and there are indications that cell phones are making things worse.
Mike Schuh reports on what the industry is doing.
Texting is so distracting while driving, and it’s against the law in Maryland.
Meade High School invited AT&T to come influence its students before they learn lethal habits.
Besides showing the dangers of texting through a simulator, the teens are among the 5 million nationwide to take a pledge. It can wait.
Whatever it is, it can what till later when you’re not behind the wheel.
Students took turns on the simulator.
Junior Colette Pierce, who has a learner’s permit, quickly crashed while texting.
“It’s taking away your concentration, and you have you life at hand and your vehicle is a weapon,” Pierce said.
And if that were to happen in real life, these kids learned that their action might become the worst part of Lt. TJ Smith’s job.
“We see dead infants. We see dead toddlers. We see dead teenagers. Notifying the parent is probably the worst part of that process,” Smith said.
When asked, over half of the students say they’ve seen their parents text and drive. Now armed with their new found knowledge they are empowered to tell their parents to knock it off.
In all, 90 students at Meade took turns on that simulator.
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