Peter F.

Kilmartin
Attorney General

Media Advisory
Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903
www.riag.ri.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
CONTACT:

Office of Attorney General

Emily Martineau
(401) 274-4400 x 2007
emartineau@riag.ri.gov

AT&T
Meaghan Wims

(401) 278-4434
mwims@duffyshanley.com

AG Kilmartin, AT&T, DMV, and RISP

Remind Public of Dangers of Distracted Driving
AT&T Brings New Virtual Reality Driving Simulator to DMV for Public to
Experience the Deadly Consequences of Glancing at a Phone While Driving
It is said that the 100 days of summer are the 100 deadliest days for young drivers. To remind
the public of the dangers of distracted driving, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin will join
AT&T, the Rhode Island State Police, and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) at a press
conference on Friday, August 7, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at the DMV, located at 600 New London
Avenue, Cranston.
As part of the press conference, AT&T will have on hand for the media and public to experience
a new virtual reality experience that simulates, in an immersive but safe 3-D setting, the
potentially deadly consequences of glancing at your phone while driving. Part of AT&Ts It Can
Wait public awareness campaign, the company is bringing the virtual reality simulator to 100
cities in 100 days. The virtual reality simulator will be on hand at the DMV from 10 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. for the public to experience.
According to new research from AT&T, seven in 10 people engage in some type of smartphone
activity while driving. According to the research, nearly four in 10 smartphone users tap into
social media while driving, almost three in 10 surf the net, and surprisingly, one in 10 video chat.
Texting and emailing are still the most prevalent, but other smartphone activity use behind the
wheel is now common. Among social platforms, Facebook tops the list, with more than a quarter

of those polled using the app while driving, and about one in seven saying theyre on Twitter
behind the wheel.
What:

Press conference to remind the public of the dangers of distracted driving, release
new data on smartphone use by drivers, and to experience AT&Ts virtual reality
simulator that simulates, in an immersive but safe 3-D setting, the potentially
deadly consequences of glancing at your phone while driving.

Who:

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin; Rhode Island State Police Lt. Col. Todd E.
Catlow, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Field Operations; Rhode Island
Department of Motor Vehicles Administrator Walter Craddock; and Patricia
Jacobs, President, AT&T New England.

When:

Friday, August 7, 2015

10:00 a.m. press conference followed immediately by virtual reality simulator
demos for media and public

Where:

Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles

600 New London Avenue, Cranston

Why:

The 100 days of summer are considered the 100 deadliest days for young drivers.
AT&T is bringing its new virtual reality simulator to 100 cities in 100 days to
bring awareness of the deadly consequences of distracted driving.