2KASA, KRQE News 13 launch W82TXT anti-texting & driving campaign

ALBUQUERQUE - 2KASA Fox and KRQE News 13 announce the launch of w82txt (wait to text), a community awareness campaign that encourages drivers across New Mexico NOT to text while driving. The w82txt initiative is a grassroots effort of the stations and aims to get people statewide to take an important pledge:

“I pledge to never text and drive. I pledge to put my phone down while in the car. I pledge to never drive distracted. It’s not worth dying for.”

The pledge is posted online at www.kasa.com with suggestions for its use. In addition, the stations and their partners in the project will be distributing colorful thumb bands to help people remember the “w82txt” message. The silicone thumb bands come in a variety of sizes and colors stamped with the project logo.

"2KASA’s w82txt campaign is a new initiative to promote safe driving by asking New Mexico to literally, wait to text and the thumb bands are a great physical reminder of that," said 2KASA/ KRQE NEWS 13 president and general manager Bill Anderson. "We see it happening all around us---texting while driving. In fact, our contacts in law enforcement tell us distracted driving rivals and may even surpass drinking and driving as a danger on our roads. We are proud to partner with the Governor’s office and the New Mexico Department of Transportation to shed light on this important issue through news stories, social media, and public events in the coming months."

Groups, businesses and communities interested in getting involved in the campaign can contact the stations at www.kasa.com. Anyone can visit the website to take the pledge and find out where to get w82txt bands.