AT&T Shows Dangers Of Texting And Driving

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Students at Tupelo High School learned about the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

As part of an awareness campaign known as “Texting and Driving, It Can Wait,” AT&T brought a simulator to THS.

It allows students to sit in a stationary car connected to sensors enabling the driver to use the steering wheel and pedals while wearing virtual reality goggles.

The driver navigates a computerized road course while asked to send and receive texts.  Their performance on the road is shown on a monitor for others to see.

“The message is clear, we need to get it to students, it’s a danger cause right now when students get a text, first thing they do is read it and respond so we want to change their way of thinking, especially when they are in the car,” said Gunner Goad, of AT&T.

“Texting distracts you and you won’t be able to make good judgments when you are looking down instead of looking up at the road and stuff,” said THS Sophomore Melia Milie.

Texting is the number one mode of communication among tens.  Statistics show that each year, 100,000 wrecks resulting in injuries or deaths are caused by texting and driving.