Texting-while-driving program is Wednesday in Salem


Staff report

SALEM

Salem Regional Medical Center, 1995 E. State St., is partnering with U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, local law-enforcement officials and the AT&T It Can Wait program from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday in the center’s main lobby to provide information to local residents about the dangers of texting while driving.

AT&T research shows that 7 in 10 people engage in smartphone activities while driving. These people are doing much more than just texting from behind the wheel of a vehicle. They are checking email, posting to social media, playing games, snapping selfies and other activities, according to a Salem Regional news release.

According to www.distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, five seconds is the average amount of time a person’s eyes are off the road while texting. Traveling at 55 miles per hour, this is enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded.

After a brief introduction about the program, the public is invited to experience firsthand how dangerous it is to take their eyes off the road and glance at a phone by taking a test drive on the simulator.

For information, call the SRMC Public Relations department at 330-332-7227.