Rhinelander High School students have gotten the word from officials: it can wait.
The Wisconsin DOT, AT&T, AAA and the Wisconsin State Patrol spoke to a filled school auditorium Tuesday about the dangers of driving and using smartphones, texting while driving, or other distractions. An AT&T study shows 7 out of 10 drivers engage in smartphone activity while driving, including video chat.
AAA's Nick Jarmusz says just five seconds away from the road means your vehicle at 55 miles an hour has gone the length of a football field...
"....you're taking your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, and most importantly, you're taking your mind off the task of driving and of the three, that cognitive distraction is really the most dangerous..."
DOT safety official David Pabst said inattentive driving is on the upswing...
"....Inattentive driving is on the upswing in Wisconsin and that is unfortunate. We can look at maybe 25 percent of crashes can be attributed to some form of distractions....."
Rhinelander was the 100th "It Can Wait" presentation. Speakers said nothing that is on the electronic devices is worth a crash that could have lifetime effects on many people.
