Hampton students take the W82TXT pledge

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) - 10 On Your Side is working on a plan and a pledge to stop Hampton Roads from texting and driving. The goal is to get more than 150,000 drivers to take the W82TXT pledge.

W82TXT (Wait to Text) is a community awareness campaign to encourage drivers not to text while behind the wheel. WAVY TV and their partners are handing out blue thumb bands with the W82TXT message on them. W82TXT thumb bands are being distributed and worn as a reminder of the W82TXT message; "Wait to text. It's not worth dying for."

WAVY News 10's Nicole Livas and Tom Schaad went to Bethel High School in Hampton on May 25 to get students there to take the life-saving pledge. Click on the video player on this page to see highlights from their school visit.

You can always take the pledge and pick up your band at WAVY TV's W82TXT sponsor locations: Hall Automotive and Langley Federal Credit Union.

You may also take the pledge online HERE .

According to the National Safety Council, 1.6 million accidents a year are caused by cell phone use. They say 1.4 million crashes are caused by people talking on the phone while driving. Another 200,000 - at least - are caused by drivers texting behind the wheel.

The National Safety Council first called for a universal ban on cell phone use while driving a year ago. Nineteen states plus the District of Columbia have outlawed texting while driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Researchers studying cell phone use have found that texters are 8 times more likely to crash.