Greenville Drive Campaign Aims to Keep Teen Drivers Safe
Just Drive, an initiative by the Greenville Drive and several community partners to curb teen texting and driving, launches Jan. 22.
To sign the pledge to Just Drive, please visit facebook.com/justdrivepledge.
The Greenville Drive has renewed its commitment to making Greenville County’s roads safer by educating teens about the dangers of texting and driving. The Drive – along with community partners Michelin, N.A., Verizon Wireless and Bradshaw Automotive – have launched the Just Drive campaign for the second straight year to encourage students at all Greenville County high schools to sign the pledge to not text and drive.
“We are thrilled to bring back our Just Drive campaign for the 2014 season,” said Drive President and Co-Owner Craig Brown. “Automobile accidents are the number one killer of teenagers across the United States, and the Drive wants to continue to encourage teenagers to focus solely on driving when they are behind the wheel. We are excited to work once again with the Greenville Schools and our Just Drive sponsors to bring awareness to the Just Drive campaign.”
The 2014 Just Drive campaign was announced at a press conference on Wednesday at Eastside High School, where the Drive unveiled several upcoming activities to engage students. The press conference featured representatives from the Greenville Drive, Michelin, N.A., Verizon Wireless, Bradshaw Automotive and the principal and one of the participating students from Eastside. Special guests included representatives from Greenville County Schools, the City of Greenville, the City of Greenville Youth Commission and students from Eastside High School.
The press conference highlighted the Drive’s primary objectives for the Just Drive campaign, including the announcement that students will participate in a creative challenge to design a t-shirt logo for the campaign. In addition, the Drive announced plans for an invitational baseball game at Fluor Field and a Celebration Game during the Drive’s upcoming 2014 season, both of which will be open to students who have made the pledge.
“A person who texts behind the wheel is 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision than someone who chooses to maintain their full attention on the road,” said Leesa Owens, Director, Community Relations for Michelin North America, citing a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. “Michelin is glad to support the Greenville Drive in spreading this important message.”
“No text or email is worth the distraction behind the wheel,” said Jerry Fountain, Verizon’s President of the Carolinas/Tennessee Region. “Verizon is committed to partnering with community organizations that share our goal of ending distracted driving. We all have a responsibility to keep our roads safe.”
“We encourage students, and drivers of all ages, to please pull off the roadway in a safe location if you must send or respond to a text or place a voice call when you are behind the wheel,” said Wes Bradshaw, General Manager of Bradshaw Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac of Greer.
Greenville Drive employees are teaming with volunteers from Verizon Wireless to speak to students during school lunch hours about the dangers of distracted driving, and to encourage them to avoid texting, talking on the phone, eating and other distracted behaviors that pulls attention away from safe driving. Students will be asked to sign a pledge as a promise to the community to not text while driving.