The Following Is a Letter from U

Name Title Station/Media Name Street Address City, State, Zip Code

Dear (Personalize for each Public Service Director):

Eighty-two percent of young adult drivers (16-24) have read a standard text message while driving, according to a national survey conducted by the Ad Council. People feel pressure to remain in constant contact, even when behind the wheel. What drivers do not realize are the dangers posed when they take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel, and focus on activities other than driving.

According to recent data:

 The average time a driver’s eyes are off the road while texting is nearly five seconds. When traveling at 55mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field.  A texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver.  An online survey of teens ages 16-19 found that 86% had driven while distracted even though 84% know it’s dangerous.

In an effort to educate young drivers about the dangers of texting while driving, the State Attorneys General and Consumer Protection agencies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ad Council are sponsoring a public service advertising (PSA) campaign nationwide. Young adults live in a connected world where multitasking is the norm. This manifests in the car where they recognize texting and driving is dangerous, but do it anyway. The PSAs communicate to teens and adults that when you text and drive, you are not multitasking, but essentially driving blind. By taking your eyes off the road, even for a few seconds, you are making the road less safe for you, your passengers and other drivers.

By airing this message, we can continue to work toward educating young adult drivers on the dangers of texting while driving. We hope that you will join us in our effort, and thank you for doing your part to make the roads a safer place.

Sincerely,

Name Title Company/Organization