"It Can Wait:" Cedarburg students learn about dangers of texting while driving

“It Can Wait:” Cedarburg students learn about dangers of texting while driving

"It Can Wait:" Cedarburg students learn about dangers of texting while driving

CEDARBURG (WITI) --  Nearly 650 students at Cedarburg High School learned about the dangers of texting while driving during an event Friday, March 13th.

Cedarburg High School teamed up with AT&T, AAA, the Wisconsin State Patrol and Rep. Robert Brooks as part of the 'It Can Wait' movement to remind students that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving.

"My friends do it, the majority of the people I know, family members and stuff," said Marguerite Manning, a student at Cedarburg High School.

The warning isn't anything new. But this time, it's different.

"When it hits home...they talk about high schoolers getting in crashes, how your life can just be over in the blink of an eye. I think it opens our eyes to see that what we are doing is dangerous," Manning said.

The event featured AAA’s distracted driving simulator, which gave students the chance to experience the dangers of texting and driving.

"When I had to grab my phone and look up and look down, that was difficult for me too," said Manning.

Even having your phone on the seat next to you can be distracting. The constant beeping is a temptation the State Patrol says you have to resist.

"The brain cannot focus on two things at the same time,"  said Wisconsin State Trooper Glen Jones.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says texting and driving is the leading cause of death in teenagers.

"They take chances, they take risks. The trouble is, every now and then, the risks catch up with them,"  said Jones.

Teens are being  encouraged to sign a pledge to never text behind the wheel. More than 6 million people have already signed up through AT&T's 'It Can Wait' campaign website.

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