Earlier today, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin brought his "Txting & Drving...It Can Wait" campaign to Warwick Veterans Memorial High School, where he spoke to approximately 300 seniors about the dangers of texting and driving.
Joined by Rhode Island State Police Major James Manni, Warwick Police Lt. Michael Gilbert, RIDOT Chief Civil Engineer Steve Pristawa and AT&T Regional Director for External Affairs Nurys Camargo, Attorney General Kilmartin urged Warwick Vets students to pledge to never text and drive.
"With the proliferation in cell phone usage, texting while driving has become an epidemic nationwide. In an effort to make Rhode Island's roadways safer, we began reaching out to schools last year to talk to kids about texting and driving," said Attorney General Kilmartin. "So far, we have made 24 high school visits across Rhode Island, where over 9,200 students have pledged never to text and drive. As pleased as we are with the success of our It Can Wait program, the fact remains that distracted driving is a major problem. That is why we are committing to spreading the message: when it comes to texting and driving, It Can Wait."
Throughout the school year, AG Kilmartin and RIDOT will bring the public awareness campaign to area high schools. The next stop is scheduled for Wednesday, December 11 at North Kingstown High School. Other schools are encouraged to follow the lead of the Warwick Vets students by bringing the "It Can Wait" program to their high school; contact the Office of Attorney General at (401) 274-4400 ext 2007 for more information.
To take the pledge and find additional information on AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign, please visit www.att.com/itcanwait.