Iowa starts “TXTNG KILLS” campaign
3 months after the state banned texting while driving, police in Iowa are using an innovative way to educate people on the dangers of distracted driving.
As part of a statewide campaign, police officers are handing out warnings accompanied with colorful bands to wear on your thumbs that say: “TXTNG KILLS”.
For Courtney Greene, spokeswoman at Iowa’s Department of Public Safety, teens are the target behind this safe driving campaign.
“A lot of people want them for their kids,” she said. “It’s a fun way to get across a serious message about not texting and driving.”
Mike Mulhern, from the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, says the campaign is a great way to raise awareness of the dangers of texting while driving for all drivers, not just teenagers.
“The whole idea is to not only remind the person wearing them, but because they’re so unique, people will ask them ‘what is that,’ it gives them the chance to tell them ‘it’s no texting and driving,’ so it doubles the message.”
Iowa has ordered 30,000 of the bands and plans to order another 30,000. So far, state employees have been distributing them at events such as the Iowa State Fair, high-school football games and the Iowa-Iowa State college football game.
Source: Radio Iowa, October 18, 2010; Wall Street Journal, October 19, 2010
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