No Text On Board – Pledge Day

WHEREAS, the state of Alabama holds the health and safety of its young adults as a chief concern; and

WHEREAS, text messaging is the main mode of communication for most American teenagers with half of all teens sending between 21 and 70 texts a day; and

WHEREAS, ninety percent of American teenagers expect a reply to a text message within five minutes; and

WHEREAS, texting takes one’s eyes off of the road for an average of five seconds; and

WHEREAS, in an AT&T survey, 43 percent of American teenage drivers admitted to texting while driving even though 97 percent know it is dangerous; and

WHEREAS, a Virginia Tech study showed those who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to crash; and

WHEREAS, a driver that sends a text message while driving not only jeopardizes his or her safety, but also the safety of passengers, pedestrians and other drivers:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 19, 2012 as

No Text On Board – Pledge Day

in the state of the Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 19th day of September 2012.

      

Robert Bentley, Governor