AT&T campaign stops in Cranston to raise awareness about distracted driving

By News Staff

Reporting By: Kainani Stevens

kstevens@abc6.com

An AT&T national campaign stops in Cranston to raise awareness about distracted driving Friday.

National Campaign, "It Can Wait" stopped in Cranston on August 7th to demonstrate,  with a driving simulation, how someone can get distracted while driving.

Rhode Island State Police, the Attorney General and the DMV teamed up  to help prove it only takes a second for an accident to happen.

Attorney General Peter Kilmartin said " its not just texting anymore, its surfing the internet and taking selfies."

They say the few seconds that someone takes their eyes off the road can be the most dangerous ones.

AT&T Spokesman CJ Johnson says the simulation is experienced by putting a set of goggles on that take you through three minutes of distractions.

In the simulation, people receive text messages and it ends with a crash.

"It really gives you the aha moment," said CJ Johnson.

Reports demonstrate that the 100 days of summer are the deadliest days for young drivers.

The event's organizers are hoping this simulation will make drivers think twice before picking up their cell phones while driving.  

(c) WLNE-TV 2015