For Hometown News
FORT PIERCE - Marking a month since the start of the national 'No Text on Board' pledge awareness, Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service and John Carroll High School have made a collaborative commitment to spread greater awareness to students that texting while driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. This message is strategically timed as local students celebrate homecoming.
'Texting while driving contributes to nearly 100,000 crashes causing injury or death per year,' said Rick Haisley, owner Haisley Funeral & Cremation Service.
'We have loaned our funeral coach to John Carroll High School to display at the school's entrance along with the powerful message that '˜this could be your last ride' as visual reminder that by taking a lifelong pledge to not text and drive it could be a way to live a long and prosperous life.'
John Carroll High School officials are also urging students to take the pledge to not text and drive very seriously.
'It is imperative that we educate our students on the dangers of texting and driving. Having a hearse on display during our homecoming spirit week was a vivid reminder to our John Carroll High School family of the consequences that can come from their decisions,' said Jennifer M. Trefelner, director of institutional advancement.
Texting while driving is especially prevalent among teenagers.
A recent AT&T survey showed that 97 percent of teens say texting and driving is 'common' among their friends. About 89 percent of teens expect to reply to a text or an email on their phones within five minutes or less, whether or not they are driving. It is not just young people, though, as 77 percent of teens in the survey reported seeing their parents texting while driving.
In October nearly 300 of John Carroll High School's students signed a pledge not to text and drive, as part of the 'It Can Wait' campaign, which is hosted through AT&T. In addition, these students participated in a driving simulator which showed them the dangers of texting while behind the wheel.
'After participating in the simulator, I realized how dangerous it is to take your eyes off the road, even for just a short amount of time' said Agenia Delouche, a John Carroll High School senior from Port St. Lucie. 'I took the pledge not to text and drive, and am committed to keeping that promise.'
For more information, call (772) 464-5200 or visit www.JohnCarrollHigh.com.