LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on a campaign that has raised awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and inspired more than 1.2 million pledges not to text behind the wheel, AT&T* today announced plans to expand the It Can Wait program in 2013.

Texting and driving can be a deadly combination and is involved in more than 100,000 vehicle crashes each year, often causing injuries and deaths.(1) This video shows the dangers.( )

This year, AT&T plans to collaborate with other companies and nonprofit organizations to further spread the message that no text is worth dying for -- and to make no-texting-while-driving technologies more widely available.

"Our goal is simple - we want to change behavior and save lives," said AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and Global Marketing Officer Cathy Coughlin. "That's why we're putting additional resources behind this effort and why we're inviting everyone to join us in this cause. Working together, we can make a difference."

In 2012, 165 organizations, including national nonprofits, commercial businesses, law enforcement, educators, legislators, professional associations and government agencies helped get out the message and encourage people to make a personal pledge not to text and drive. The combined efforts of organizations including the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Organizations for Youth Safety, SADD, Big Brothers Big Sisters, RadioShack and CTIA-The Wireless Association made a difference. For example:


    --  Awareness of the It Can Wait message increased 26 percent during the key
        campaign period.(2)
    --  One-in-three people in that period said that texting while driving
        messages have an impact on their driving habits.²
    --  More than 1.2 million no-texting-while-driving pledges were made at
        ItCanWait.com and through Facebook, Twitter, live events and
        text-to-pledge initiatives.

In 2013, AT&T plans to extend work with existing It Can Wait collaborators and significantly expand their ranks. Plans include:


    --  Working with device makers to pre-load no-texting-while-driving
        technologies and solutions into handsets, with the goal of making these
        solutions standard on all AT&T smartphones. The Pantech Discover(TM),
        announced today, will be the first device to come with the free AT&T
        DriveMode(®**) safe-driving app preloaded. Other device makers,
        including Samsung and HTC, have plans to preload DriveMode onto future
        smartphones later this year.
    --  Engaging cities such as Houston, Texas, and companies including USAA and
        Walmart to discuss potential new It Can Wait collaborations.
    --  Making resources - ranging from It Can Wait branded materials, to
        teaching aids and sample company policies - available to other
        organizations for programs they develop.
    --  Launching a year-round texting-while-driving simulator tour targeting
        more than 380 events nationwide.

AT&T, its 240,000 employees and other supporters are calling on all drivers to go to www.ItCanWait.org to take the no-texting-while-driving pledge, and then share their promise with others via Twitter (#itcanwait) and Facebook. The pledge is part of the public awareness campaign aimed directly at stopping the dangerous practice of texting while driving.

¹National Safety Council
² AT&T TWD - ICW Perceptions Study

*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.
** Data and text messaging charges may apply for download and app usage. Standard messaging rates apply to auto-reply messages. AT&T DriveMode is free to AT&T customers only. Compatible device required.

About AT&T
 AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates - AT&T operating companies - are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(®) and AT&T ?DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att.

© 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 4G not available everywhere. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.