High Schools rewarded for W8 2 TXT

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety and SUBWAY® Restaurants have announced the winning schools in their W8 2 TXT campaign to prevent distracted driving, especially texting while driving. During March and April, high school students were asked to take the online pledge to wait until they are not behind the wheel to text. The winning schools were based on the highest percentage of student pledges for the area. Those schools will receive a $500 grant for safety programs courtesy of SUBWAY® restaurants. SCDPS and SUBWAY® restaurants concluded the W8 2 TXT campaign in April, National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. During the campaign, high school students were encouraged to take the W8 2 TXT pledge online at www.subwayw82txt.com. The South Carolina Highway Patrol estimates approximately 25,000 students have heard the W8 2 TXT message as Community Relations Officers canvassed the state with prom/W8 2 TXT safety presentations. This was the second year that SCDPS and Subway partnered to keep students safe with the W8 2 TXT message. Winning schools with the highest percentage of students who took the W8 2 TXT pledge in the six regions are: Upstate – Greenwood Christian School in Greenwood; Rock Hill/Charlotte – Central Academy at Lake Park in Indian Trail, N.C.; Midlands – Gilbert High School in Gilbert; Pee Dee/Grand Strand – Lake City High School in Lake City; Lowcountry – Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville; and Aiken/Augusta – Bamberg-Ehrhardt High School in Bamberg. Participating SUBWAY® restaurants and troopers throughout the Carolinas also distributed over 280,000 wristbands with the W8 2 TXT message printed on them. Students could choose to wear the wristband or stretch it across their phones as a reminder not to text while driving. According to a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute Study, drivers who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to crash.