State, AT&T Encourage Motorists To Pledge Not To Text While Driving
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois officials have joined AT&T in the latest effort to discourage people from texting while driving, though they admit—for many—the message is falling on deaf ears.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports AT&T has been pushing for people to pledge not to text while driving, and has posted a heart-wrenching documentary on its website.
So far, more than 2 million people have taken the pledge.
Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau applauded the efforts, but admitted the reality is people are still texting in their cars.
"Just before the Labor Day holiday weekend, we conducted an operation on the entrance ramp at Montrose, leading onto the Kennedy southbound, and we wrote 100 citations for texting while driving, in an hour's time," he said.
Grau said he doesn't know what he could do to get people to stop texting while driving, beyond public education and enforcement, but he said police can't do nothing either.
AT&T has helped organize more than 20 events across the state on Thursday, to encourage drivers to pledge to never text while driving.
