Virtual reality simulator to drive home message at Summit HS

Summit High School joins the Bend Police Department and the AT&T* IT CAN WAIT campaign on Wednesday to talk about the dangers of smartphone distracted driving.

Research shows that 7-in-10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving.** People are doing much more than texting from behind the wheel.

To drive home the message, the Bend Police Department and AT&T bring a virtual reality simulator to Summit High School. Students will experience first-hand how dangerous it is to take their eyes off the road and glance at a phone. Bend Police Department officers will also be available to answer questions about distracted driving best practices and local laws.

“We at the Bend Police Department are passionate about distracted driving enforcement,” Lt. Clint Burleigh said in announcing the program. “Unfortunately, we have seen the first-hand effects of what can happen when members of our community drive distracted. It is our mission to keep community members and visitors safe when traveling on the roadways of Bend.”

“No post, glance, email, search or text is worth a life,” said George Granger, president of AT&T Oregon. “We’re proud to work with the Bend Police Department and Summit High School as we collectively raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and keep people across our state safe.”

People can also use their own smartphone to view the 360° experience at home.

IT CAN WAIT is a national movement urging drivers to keep their eyes on the road, not on their phones–distracted driving is never OK. The campaign began with a focus on not texting and driving. It has now expanded to the broader dangers of smartphone use behind the wheel.

Since its launch in 2010, the campaign has:

* Helped grow awareness of the dangers of smartphone distracted driving to nearly 90% of audiences surveyed.

* Inspired more than 15 million pledges to not drive distracted.

* Worked with departments of transportation in Texas, Kentucky and other states on research that suggests a correlation between It Can Wait campaign activities and a reduction in crashes.

* Collaborated with AT&T data scientists on research that shows how statewide anti-texting laws impact the rate of texting while driving.

To learn more, visit ItCanWait.com.

* AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

**Research commissioned by AT&T and conducted by Braun Research. Polled 2,067 people in the U.S. aged 16-65 who use their smartphone and drive at least once a day.