Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,TCN-Deerpark) joined forces Monday with AT&T in Middletown to spread awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. The event was part of AT&T’s “It Can Wait” program, which aims to reduce the drastic incidents of car accidents and fatalities from the use of electronic devices behind the wheel.

“We all have heard the tragic stories of individuals whose lives were regrettably cut short because they were texting while driving and that is a trend that must be stopped,” Brabenec said. “It is such a rapidly growing issue in our society and we must take steps to protect ourselves and our neighbors. I am proud to encourage all my constituents to join me in taking AT&T’s ‘It Can Wait’ pledge to not send a text or use a smartphone while behind the wheel of a car. We can all band together to help curb this preventable trend from continuing forward.”

The ‘It Can Wait’ program has been a resounding success since its inception in 2010:

• Helped grow awareness of the dangers of smartphone distracted driving to more than 90% of audiences surveyed.

• Inspired more than 9 million pledges to keep their eyes on the road, not on their phones.

• Worked with departments of transportation in various states on research that suggests a correlation between “It Can Wait” campaign activities and a reduction in crashes.

• Collaborated with AT&T data scientists on research that shows how statewide anti-texting laws impact the rate of texting while driving.