Arlington, Va. — Gary Shapiro, the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) president and CEO, has signed a pledge supporting the It Can Wait campaign to end texting and driving.
“Putting an end to texting and driving begins with the conscious choice by the person behind the wheel to put the phone down. By signing this pledge, I have made a personal commitment not to text and drive, and to use my devices responsibly while operating my car,” Shapiro said in a statement. “As a leader in the technology industry, I call on my peers to join in this important effort to help make America’s roadways safer.”
CEA noted it has actively supported “commonsense measures” in the past, including state legislation banning texting while driving and placing strict limits on the use of electronics by novice drivers. It also recently convened a working group to develop industry standards and best practices for designing CE products to help maximize driver safety, it added, and said it’s in the process of developing a public education campaign focused on the variety of technology solutions available for consumers to address distracted driving.
The 2013 It Can Wait campaign will culminate on Sept. 19, with a national day of action against distracted driving, featuring activities throughout the country by those supporting the program.
