Texting while driving is a commonly debated danger, but a group of mass communication students are running a campaign to spread warnings to students before it’s too late.
In accordance with a public relations campaign class, Kacey Alario, Kaye Arcement, Cody Martin and Brittany White have been working for several weeks to advance their campaign, TXT = RIP, and to educate the Nicholls community about texting while driving.
“Professionally, the campaign helped me to see how a public relations campaign actually unfolds, and it was good preparation before graduation to allow me to be the working force behind the campaign and not just learn about it from a lecture,” Martin, mass communication public relations senior, said. “Hopefully our campaign educates individuals, not only on Nicholls campus but statewide, on the laws and dangers of texting and driving.”
According to Martin, mortality rates of texting while driving are higher among college-aged individuals. This fact reinforces the importance of educating the students of Nicholls.
“With this campaign, we hope to inform people of the dangers of texting while driving, and we hope that once they are informed, they make an effort to break the habit,” Alario, mass communication public relations and print journalism senior, said.
There was a TXT = RIP table set up at last week’s Crawfish Day, and a presentation by the group was held yesterday in Talbot Hall.
In an effort to reach students at every level, the group also has Facebook page on which users can find links to photos, videos and other information about the dangers of texting and driving.
Participating in the class program has changed the outlooks of the students involved.
“My personal involvement with the campaign has motivated me to change my habit of texting and driving as well as to educate my friends about the dangers involved,” Martin said. “I learned a lot of interesting things, such as texting is also dangerous for pedestrians to do, and it accounts for most of the accidents on campus that involve drivers and pedestrians.”
Alario has also used her involvement to change her bad habits for her own safety and the safety of those around her.
“Before starting this campaign, I texted while driving, thinking it wasn’t a big deal,” she said. “Since working on this campaign, reading stats on accidents caused by texting and driving and watching videos of people affected by it, I definitely make a conscious effort not to text and drive.”
While waiting to get in touch with someone while on the road may be inconvenient, it can be a life or death decision.
“It’s a hard habit to break, but it’s worth breaking,” Alario said.
