Take the Health First Pledge To Not Text and Drive
By Space Coast Daily // June 5, 2013
Global Youth Traffic Safety Month
ABOVE VIDEO: A recent AT&T survey shows that nearly half of adult commuters say they text while driving, compared with 43 percent of teens.
BREVARD COUNTY, ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, people are 23 times more likely to crash if they text while driving.
In honor of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month and in an effort to help keep our roads safer and people out of the hospital, Health First is encouraging people to sign a no texting while driving pledge.
“At the Trauma Center at Holmes Regional Medical Center, we have seen too many lives broken or brought to an end due to texting,” said Health First Trauma Surgeon Dr. Peter Pappas.
“Texting should always take a backseat to safe and responsible driving. Life is too precious.”
400 PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THIS PLEDGE
So far, more than 400 people have taken this online pledge. The Trauma Center at Holmes Regional Medical Center is designed to treat the most life-threatening injuries and is the only trauma center in our area. It treats more than 1,400 patients each year and is served by Health First’s First Flight, the only air ambulance service in East Central Florida.
MORE FACTS ABOUT TEXTING AND DRIVING
Florida has enacted its first texting while driving ban. The law goes into effect in October and will ban texting in a moving vehicle. Violations will result in a fine.
“At the Trauma Center at Holmes Regional Medical Center, we have seen too many lives broken or brought to an end due to texting,” Health First Trauma Surgeon Dr. Peter Pappas.
A recent AT&T survey shows that nearly half of adult commuters say they text while driving, compared with 43 percent of teens.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 387,000 people were injured and 3,331 people were killed in distracted-driving incidents in 2011.
Wireless providers Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and 200 other organizations have joined AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign. The goal is to raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving.
Research shows summer is the most dangerous time of the year for youths out on the roads. That’s why the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) hosts Global Youth Traffic Safety Month each May to support youth traffic safety efforts nationwide.
About Health First
Health First is Central Florida’s only fully integrated health system. With a Mission to positively change the health and wellness of the communities we serve, Health First offers multiple commercial and Medicare health plan products, the latest technological advances and quality care through our four hospitals and numerous Outpatient & Wellness Services, including four fitness centers to help members of our community stay healthy.
We offer Brevard’s only Trauma Center, and the Health First Medical Group is the largest multi-specialty physician group in Brevard County.
TO PLEDGE NOW VISIT HealthFirstReality.org
