HOLT, Mich., Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon and
the Michigan State Police today
are teaming up to encourage high school students to put their
phones down while on the road. Following last week's observance of
National Teen Driver Safety Week, the program was held at Holt High
School as part of a joint campaign to educate students on the
dangers of distracted driving. Captain Chris Kelenske, Deputy State Director of
Emergency Management and Homeland Security for the Michigan State Police, and Verizon Vice
President of Communications, Jeffrey
Nelson, kicked off the campaign with the support of Dr.
David G. Hornak, Superintendent of
Schools, Holt School District.
As part of the program, approximately 1,700 Holt High School
students signed a pledge to reduce distracted driving in their
daily lives. During the event, students learned firsthand about the
dangers of distracted driving through various speaker presentations
and received an awareness-raising cellphone wallet with the message
"One Text or Call Could Wreck It All," courtesy of Verizon.
"We're proud to support Michigan State Police efforts to educate new
drivers about mobile devices and distracted driving," said Nelson.
"Mobile phones save lives every day, but texting or talking when
you're driving can be lethal. When you're behind the wheel,
put your phone down and keep it out of reach."
High school students are one of the most highly susceptible
groups to distracted driving, according to the AAA Foundation for
Traffic Safety. According to a 2016 study, distractions played a
role in 58.5 percent of 2,200 car crashes involving teen drivers,
with 20.4 percent of those distractions involving cellphone
usage.
"Distracted driving is prevalent among teens primarily because
of their inexperience as drivers," said Captain Kelenske. "We are
thankful for Verizon's support in helping us raise awareness about
this dangerous epidemic that has impacted the lives of so many
students and their families."
The Michigan State Police
dedicates 34 community service troopers (CSTs) across the state to
provide public education on prevention and awareness issues,
including distracted driving.
"We commend the Michigan State
Police and Verizon for educating our students on the dangers of
distracted driving," said Hornak. "Our district is always exploring
ways to improve the safety of our students and it is our hope that
because of programming like this, they will think twice before
taking their phones out while driving."
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in
New York City, has a diverse
workforce of 162,000 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates
America's most reliable wireless network, with 113.7 million retail
connections nationwide. The company also provides communications
and entertainment services over mobile broadband and the nation's
premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated business
solutions to customers worldwide.
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Media contact:
Steve Van
Dinter
224.374.3864
Steven.VanDinter@verizonwireless.com
Twitter: @svandinter
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SOURCE Verizon