AT&T pushing "It Can Wait" campaign to stop texting and driving (Video)

According to AT&T and Dr. David Greenfield, founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction, the beep of a cell phone releases dopamine into our brain and we can't resist the urge to check our phone.

Greenfield, also an assistant clinical professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, said: "We compulsively check our phones because every time we get an update through text, email, or social media, we experience an elevation of dopamine, which is a neurochemical in the brain that makes us feel happy. If that desire for a dopamine fix leads us to check our phones while we're driving, a simple text can turn deadly."


The study, partly conducted by AT&T, found that 90% of those asked know that texting and driving is dangerous. However, many rationalize the behavior saying that they are quite capable of multi-tasking, even when driving. '

AT&T is hoping that it's "It Can Wait" campaign, which has resulted in 5 million pledges to never text and drive, has seen more than 1.98 million downloads of the Android and Blackberry DriveMode apps.


AT&T recently added parental alerts, which lets you know if your sneaky kid has turned off certain features, like automatic mode and GPS. The app automatically starts when the connected vehicle has reached 25 MPH, and turns off when the car comes to a stop.