The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and LaFontaine Automotive Group have teamed up to promote AT&T’s anti-texting and driving campaign, “It Can Wait.” On Sept. 19, they asked Washtenaw County residents to take a pledge at itcanwait.com to refrain from texting and driving.
According to Washtenaw County’s website, “Texting and driving makes you 23 times more likely to be in an accident.”
“The ‘It Can Wait’ campaign is a natural synergy for us,” said Jason Strum, the digital marketing manager at LaFontaine Automotive Group. “Our core principles are family and community, and we will always promote safety on the roads.”
Emmanuel Boykin, the dealer operator at LaFontaine Buick GMC in Ann Arbor added, “We see the outcome of what can happen if it can’t wait.”
Boykin was involved in a texting-and-driving-related accident three years ago.
“A young woman smashed into the back of me because she was texting while driving,” Boykin said. “Luckily we both walked away.”
Boykin said the young woman involved in his accident was fairly shaken up by the experience, and he felt she really learned her lesson after the accident.
Krisztina Kovacs, a Eastern Michigan University freshman and international business major, feels very strongly about the dangers of texting while driving.
“It affects other people, and someone can get hurt or even killed,” Kovacs said.
Kovacs said she would ask others to stop texting and driving if she is in the car with them.
Strum shares Kovacs’s opposition to texting while driving.
“No life-altering announcement will be delivered via text message,” Strum said.
Leo Stringa, an MBA student at Eastern Michigan University, disagrees on the other hand.
“There could be important information that comes through a text,” Stringa said. “Something like ‘grandma is in the hospital.’”
While Stringa disagrees with Strum’s statement, he does agree that texting and driving is reckless.
“It takes focus off driving and being aware of your surroundings,” Stringa said.
He said that he prefers to refrain from texting while he is driving.
“I will wait until I’m at a stoplight to check my texts,” Stringa said. “It can wait a few seconds.”
