Recently an alarming amount of teenage deaths have been due to texting and driving. East leaders Will Church, Wade Doss, Camille Burchfield, and Sam Howard have created T.A.D. (Texting and Driving).

“Our goal is to raise awareness so that the students will realize how dangerous it is,” said senior Camille Burchfield.

East created a documentary about how texting and driving has affected families in the NWA area. On March 15, 2013 they showed their documentary in the seminar room each period to various classes accompanied with guest speakers to raise awarness. During fourth period an Awareness fail was also held.

Booths from sponsors were set up in the rotunda including TextFace foundation and State Farm Insurance. In the courtyard AT&T provided a texting and driving simulator. Students were able to virtually test drive a black Fiat and experience the difficulties and harms of texting and driving. Students experienced simulations of a real car crash.

Junior Chance Earp experienced a simulation car crash during his lunch period.

“It was like a video game. It was difficult. I accidentally hit a pedestrian,” said Earp. “Don’t text and drive.”

Rachel Lee also participated in the simulator.

“It was pretty hard, harder than you’d think,” said Lee.

Thanks to the event coordination by EAST, students learned more about the dangers of texting and driving.

“I learned to not text and drive because it is a real thing and you will crash,” said Lee.

Along with the simulations many students took the pledge and promised not to text and drive.

“We just want our friends and other students to be safe. Texting and driving can hurt you, but it can also hurt people around you. We want to leave a lasting impression and we hope they tell their families and friends,” said sophomore Will Church.

All the leaders of Texting and Driving took part in the event coordination.

“It’s not a matter of if you’ll get in a wreck, it’s a matter of when,” said Burchfield.