e-Cycle is joining the It Can Wait movement to end texting and driving by encouraging all of our employees and clients to participate in Drive 4 Pledges Day on September 19, 2013.

Join the 1.8 million people that have committed to never text and drive through ItCanWait.com on Drive 4 Pledges Day. Then share your commitment to inspire others to do the same. If you believe texting and driving isn’t an issue, learn about the dangers and consequences first hand by trying the texting and driving simulator online or at an It Can Wait event.

The Facts

Sending or looking at a text, tweet, post or email from behind the wheel can be deadly. Unfortunately, the number of people texting and driving is high even though hands-free and educational resources are readily available. Recent studies have found that:

• Commuters are the biggest offenders, with 49 percent admitting to texting while driving.
• 98 percent of the population knows sending texts while driving is not safe, yet 50 percent of drivers do it anyway.
• 40 percent of drivers who text while driving call it a habit.
• Those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to crash.
• More than 100,000 crashes each year involve drivers that are texting.
• Teens, on average, text five times more a day than a typical adult.
• 75% of teens say texting and driving is “common” among their friends.

Tips for breaking the habit

It Can Wait put together the following tips to help you stay true to your pledge and break your dangerous texting and driving habit:

• Download the AT&T Drive Mode App– This mobile app will automatically reply to incoming messages with a customizable text to let people know you are driving and will respond later.
• Assign a Designated Texter – Let your passengers respond to incoming texts for you.
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind – Put your phone on silent mode or in a place you can’t reach while in the car.
• Listen to music – Create a playlist or listen to the radio.
• Call, don’t text – Use Bluetooth features to safely make urgent calls.
• Speak up – If you see someone texting while driving, ask them to stop.

The Drive 4 Pledges Day is a nationwide effort, first launched by AT&T in 2009 that focuses on educating people about the dangers of texting and driving. Other carriers have since joined the movement, including Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile.

Together, we can all have a part in making sure that no more lives are lost. No message is so urgent that it is worth diverting attention from the road and risking lives in the process. It Can Wait.

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e-Cycle is the trusted wireless mobile buyback and recycling partner for many of the largest organizations in the world. As the first mobile recycling company to achieve e-Stewards certification, we adhere to the highest standards for environmental responsibility and worker health and safety. e-Cycle offers a simple, secure, environmentally responsible and profitable way for businesses to sell and recycle used mobile phones and tablets. Learn more at www.e-Cycle.com.