Distracted Driving on Two Wheels: A New Reality
The roads can be a scary place. Drivers are taking their eyes off the road to look at their latest like, text or email.
And with the introduction of shared e-scooters, the latest in transportation innovation, it’s more important than ever for riders and drivers to keep their eyes on the road.
One hand on the handlebar, another on the phone, then bam. You hit a pothole.
Tens of thousands of injuries – and hundreds of deaths – occur every year due to smartphone distracted driving.1 This is the unfortunate reality our AT&T It Can Wait program continues to address since 2010.
And now it’s becoming clear smartphone distractions are no longer just a problem in the car.
Electric scooters and bikes have made getting around more convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly. But they still require focus while operating. More than a third of drivers call distracted driving a habit2 and these habits are transitioning to a larger category of distracted riding.
So how is It Can Wait addressing this latest innovation?
We’re expanding our anti-distracted driving message beyond the car. Our goal is to keep you safe not only behind the wheel but also behind the handlebars. In collaboration with the creator and leader in e-scooter sharing, Bird, It Can Wait created an online spot showing what can happen if you decide to “scoot distracted.”
Bird is passionate about safety and addressing irresponsible riding head on with us. In their words, "Smartphone usage while driving or scooting is a dangerous mix. We urge everyone, regardless of their transportation mode, to stay alert and keep both hands on the steering wheel or handlebars."
You can see the current spot now, on social and through online video.
This year, the It Can Wait program celebrated a milestone – 30 million pledges to not drive distracted. This collaboration marks an extension of our message to innovative forms of transportation. We look forward to exploring future opportunities with Bird to raise awareness of the dangers and drive pledges with new generations of drivers and riders.
Break the habit and take the pledge to end distracted driving in and out of the car at ItCanWait.com. Together, we can make roads safer for everyone.
