For more information, contact:

Meaghan Wims Duffy & Shanley for AT&T New England (401) 278-4434 mwims@duffyshanley.com

WITH PROM, GRADUATION, AND SUMMER SEASON STARTING, MAY STARTS 100 DEADLIEST DAYS ON THE ROAD FOR TEEN DRIVERS
AT&TS IT CAN WAIT AWARENESS CAMPAIGN HAS REACHED 10,000 MASSACHUSETTS STUDENTS IN JUST THE LAST YEAR
BOSTON, MA, May 25, 2012 With the release of a new national survey, AT&T* is continuing to spread the word about the dangers of texting and driving as part of its It Can Wait campaign in Massachusetts and across the country. Since its Massachusetts It Can Wait campaign launch in April 2011, AT&T has joined local law enforcement and elected officials to bring awareness of the dangers of distracted driving in presentations at more than a dozen high schools across Massachusetts, including those in Malden, Woburn, Lexington, Lynn, Salem, Westford, Framingham, Haverhill, Somerville, and Williamstown. In all, AT&T's "It Can Wait" presentation has reached approximately 10,000 students in Massachusetts many of whom signed pledges not to text and drive. "Memorial Day is the beginning of the 100 deadliest days of the year for teen drivers, and dangerous behavior like texting and driving is a contributing factor," said Patricia Jacobs, president of AT&T in New England. "While we are proud of the work we've put into spreading the word to teens across Massachusetts about the dangers of texting and driving, more remains to be done. As our new study indicates, while teens know that texting and driving is dangerous, far too many of them admit that they are still doing it anyway." AT&Ts survey found that while 97 percent of teens know texting while driving is dangerous, 43 percent of them admit to sending a text while driving and 75 percent say the practice is common among their friends. The survey found that teenagers feel pressure to quickly respond to text messages and adults are also setting a poor example by texting while driving themselves. With prom, graduation and summer nearing, we head into the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers on the road the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.1 Texting also ranks as the No. 1 mode of communication among teens.2 On average, teens text five times more a day than a typical adult.3 When this habit hits the road, drivers who text are 23 times more likely to be in an accident or near-accident.4 Highlights of the AT&T Teen Driver Survey: Peer Pressure: Almost all teens (89 percent) expect a reply to a text or email within five minutes or less. 1

Knowledge but Little Action: 75 percent of teens say texting while driving is very dangerous but 43 percent admit to doing so. Gateway Dangers: 70 percent of teens believe texting while stopped at a red light is dangerous. o Still, 60 percent of teens admit to texting at a red light and 73 percent admit to glancing at their phone at a red light. o 61 percent of teens say they glance at their phone while driving, and 61 percent have seen their friends read or send an email, or text, while driving. Learning by Example: According to 77 percent of teens, adults tell kids not to text while driving yet adults do it themselves all the time. o 41 percent of teens report seeing their parents read or send an email, or text, while driving. o Still, 89 percent of teenagers say their own parents are good role models in terms of not texting while driving. o And, 62 percent of teens feel that getting reminders from their own parents not to text and drive would be effective in getting them or their friends to stop texting and driving. Minority Disparities: Hispanic teens (54 percent) are more likely to admit to the practice of texting while driving than Caucasian (41 percent) and African-American (42 percent) teens. o Hispanic teens (52 percent) also are more likely to report seeing their parents text while driving, compared to 38 percent of Caucasian teens and 44 percent of African-American teens who reported seeing their parents text while driving. What Helps Lessen the Urge: 89 percent of teens said a phone app to prevent texting & driving like AT&T DriveModeTM would be an effective way to get them or their friends to stop texting and driving. AT&T DriveModeTM provides a customizable auto-reply message notifying friends that the user is driving and will respond when it is safe.

AT&TS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION ON THE SUBJECT Last week, AT&T received National Organizations for Youth Safetys 2012 Youth Choice Award for ongoing efforts and working with teens to address the issue of texting while driving. AT&T launched its It Can Wait campaign in March 2010. To date, more than 110,000 people have taken a pledge not to text and drive on AT&Ts Facebook, Friends & Family and employee pages. Nearly 3 million people have watched AT&Ts powerful 10-minute documentary, The Last Text, which features real stories of individual lives that have been drastically altered or even ended because of texting while driving. In 2011, AT&T committed a four-year series of contributions totaling $1 million to help educate the public and spread the word about the campaign. This builds on 2010 contributions of $250,000 to nonprofit youth safety organizations to support the cause. AT&T has also created and maintained an online resource center that offers downloadable educational resources, such as pledges, posters and PSAs. 2

For additional information on AT&Ts It Can Wait campaign, please visit www.att.com/itcanwait. Links
Web Site Links: AT&T News AT&T Facebook Related Releases: Teen-Led, Teen-Focused State Summit Educates Peers on Dangers of Texting While Driving Causes.com and AT&T Launch New Social Engagement Platform to Encourage Activism
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Related Media Kits: Dangers of Text Messaging and Driving

Related Fact Sheets: Video: Texting While Driving Simulator Video: AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety The Pew Internet & American Life Project Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Research: www.vtti.vt.edu 4 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Research: www.vtti.vt.edu *AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates AT&T operating companies are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nations fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse and AT&T DIRECTV brands. The companys suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT. About Philanthropy at AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives, AT&T has a long history of supporting projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2011, more than $115 million was contributed through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs.