BACKGROUNDER

February 15, 2016

AT&TS IT CAN WAIT CAMPAIGN MAKES POSITIVE IMPACT

AT&T is one of the largest multinational telecommunications companies in the

world, with many different focuses including cellular devices, Wi-Fi coverage, cable, and
more. The company has always had a broad focus on different philanthropic endeavors,
but their biggest effort to date has been their signature It Can Wait campaign. The
campaign is focused on bringing awareness to the dangers of texting while driving,
involving many different facets for drivers young and old to relate to.
AT&T has also always had a strong focus on the global connection of their clients.
This global connection could have a very strong pull for the campaign, considering the
spectrum at which they could spread their messagE.
The campaign has, as of now, garnered over 7.8 million pledges, and that number
continues to rise. Pledges have come from all over, including over 1,500 organizations
with 50,000 participants. All this participation has showed, with the company stating that
studies from Florida, Texas, and Illinois found that campaign activity has lead to a
reduction in distracted-based automobile crashes.
The company has comprised many different statistics to show just how prevalent
it is for drivers to use their cell phones in some sort of way while on the road. Nearly 4in-10 drivers admit to using some sort of social media network while driving, the most
prevalent being Facebook at 27% of users surveyed. Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are

also platforms that could soon surpass Facebook at the rate of which theyre growing.
Nonetheless, AT&T aims to cut out usage completely while driving.
AT&T also shared some information on their It Can Wait campaign page more
specifically dedicated to texting while driving. It states that nearly half, or 49%, of
commuters admitted to texting while driving. Meanwhile, 75% of young drivers stated
that texting while driving is very common amongst their friend groups. Although they did
state that it was common amongst friends, 78% stated that they would likely stop texting
while driving if their friends encouraged them to do so. This is the main point of the
campaign; if awareness were to spread to many, connections amongst the drivers who
take the pledge would spread the awareness to phenomenal heights.
The campaign tour is stopping at many colleges in the United States, one of them
being Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. AT&T is hoping for over 10,000 students to
attend the events, which include a texting while driving simulator and a benefit concert
featuring Tim McGraw.
AT&T is also encouraging students to download the DriveMode app, which
inhibits texts from being received while the drivers car is in motion. This could improve
the already positive correlation the company has been seeing since the campaign began
back in 2010.

Media Contact:
Thomas Bugas
tbugas94@vt.edu
(443) 614-8820