3-D experience drives home the dangers of distracted driving

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Citing new research that shows 7 in 10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving, AT&T and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) teamed up for the second of two events in New Jersey to address a dangerous practice —smartphone driving distractions.

To drive home the message of these findings, AT&T set up a virtual reality simulator at the NJMVC center in South Brunswick on July 23, allowing the center’s customers to experience firsthand how dangerous it can be when you take your eyes off the road and direct them onto your phone.

“Simply put, using a smartphone while driving can be deadly for drivers, their passengers and for everyone on the road,” said Charlene Brown, AT&T’s regional vice president for External Affairs in New Jersey. “Behind the wheel, everything can change in the blink of an eye. A post, a selfie, a text, a scroll, an email – one look is all it takes. This new simulation shows the real consequences of looking at your phone while driving. Together with the NJMVC, we want to remind all drivers to just drive; it can wait.”

Raymond Martinez, NJMVC and chief administrator, said the event is part of the ongoing campaign known as “Just Drive,” a multi-media outreach and education campaign launched earlier this year in an effort to combat the high incidence of talking and texting while driving.

“It’s not enough to simply tell people about fines and penalties. We all have to work together to change this dangerous behavior, just as we have done in educating motorists about the dangers of drinking and driving and in increasing seat belt usage,” he said.

To date, AT&T’s simulator tour has stopped in Washington, DC; Beltsville, Maryland; Wilmington, Delaware; Philadelphia; and West Deptford. Other stops are planned in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia through the end of August.

To pledge to keep both eyes on the road, visit www.ItCanWait.com.