DALLAS — A new survey commissioned by AT&T and Dr. David Greenfield, founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and assistant clinical professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, found that three-in-four people admitting to at least glancing at their phones while behind the wheel.
The study, fielded as part of the “Texting & Driving … It Can Wait” campaign, was released as AT&T focuses on helping people find ways to resist the urge to text and drive.
Sign of addiction
While over 90 percent say they know texting and driving is dangerous, many rationalize their texting and driving behavior — a classic sign of addiction, according to researchers. The study also found, however, that those who are most likely to text and drive are also the most likely to take steps to stop.
User friendly app
The AT&T DriveMode app for iPhone —the first free no-texting-while-driving application offered by a major U.S. wireless carrier that works on the iPhone — is now available.
According to its creators, the app silences incoming text message alerts, turns on automatically when one drives 15 mph or more, and turns off shortly after one stops.
When activated, the app automatically responds to incoming SMS and MMS text messages so the sender knows the text recipient is driving. It also allows parents with young drivers to receive a text message if the app is turned off.
