Students experience distracted driving virtual reality simulation

Today the AT&T “It Can Wait” campaign team visited La Quinta High School. Students experienced a distracted driving virtual reality simulation. The real life experience has many students rethinking their actions before getting behind the wheel. La Quinta Principal, Rebecca Cook, says no text is worth the dangers of distracted driving. “The texts that we send are not urgent, they are not life threatening, they can wait. Everything can wait,” said Cook. AT&T Director of Internal Affairs, Julio Figueroa, says the “It Can Wait” initiative was started after distracted driving became the leading cause of fatal accidents. According to AAA, more than 11 teens die every day due to distracted driving. “It’s an epidemic and we hope that as a company, bringing out this simulator to schools and public events, that we change that and bring those numbers down,” said Figueroa. The virtual reality simulator takes students through a three minute distracted driving course. One student said, “It’s really scary, because I know people who text and drive”. “It”s an eye opener for them. Some of these kids aren’t driving yet, but I’m sure they’ll go home and tell their parents about putting their phones down when they’re in the car with them cause their parents are doing it just as much as the teenagers,” said Figueroa. Now people are taking the pledge to never text and drive. “In the past I’ve been a texter and driver. I’m sorry to admit that, but i have been. I put my phone in the back seat now. It should be a powerful impact for anyone who sees that,” said Cook.