Belfast Met Freshers pledge to X the TXT

It is expected that over 1,000 students will make the X the TXT pledge during Freshers Week at Belfast Metropolitan College. The X the TXT campaign encourages young drivers not to text and drive as well as educating them on the legal implications of texting and driving.

Environment Minister Alex Attwood pledges his support for X the TXT alongside Belfast Met students during Freshers Week, also pictured Muir Clarke, Head of Road Policing, Marie-Thérèse McGivern, Principal and Chief Executive, Belfast Metropolitan College, Rose Kelly, Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer, Allstate Northern Ireland, Paul Docherty, Student Activity Co-ordinator, Belfast Metropolitan College.

Environment Minister Alex Attwood launched the event on Thursday 22nd September 2011 at Belfast Met’s new Titanic Quarter Campus, he said, "Educating the public and influencing attitudes and behaviours towards road safety is vital and the first step towards achieving this is to instil good road user attitudes and behaviours in young people. What is learnt and put into practice at a young age forms the basis of behaviour in later life. Through working in partnership with organisations such as Allstate, initiatives like this will contribute to a reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads each year".

Students will take part in the X the TXT challenge and will get the opportunity to play a driving game on a Nintendo Wii whilst trying to text the message "Don't TMPT F8, that TXT can W8." The challenge demonstrates to students how distracted they become when texting and driving and the dangers it can cause such as weaving in and out of lanes, poorer steering control and reduced reaction times.

Students are asked to support the campaign by stamping their thumbprint on a banner which will remain at the College as a constant reminder of not to text and drive, they also receive a pair of thumb bands that read "TXTING KLLS" to wear as a daily reminder when texting.

Allstate Northern Ireland launched the X the TXT campaign in 2010 and is currently rolling it out to schools, colleges and universities in Northern Ireland. The campaign is also endorsed and financially supported by PSNI Road Safety and DOE Road Safety.

Head of Road Policing, Superintendent Muir Clark said: "Using a mobile phone while driving is not just an offence, it can lead to a lapse of concentration that can and has resulted in people being killed in crashes on roads in Northern Ireland this year. Drivers must exercise proper control of their vehicle at all times."

You can show your support for the X the TXT - Don't Text and Drive campaign by becoming a fan on the X the TXT Facebook site - www.facebook.com/XtheTXTNI or for further information contact Sonya Kerr at Allstate Northern Ireland on 028 9034 7250 or e-mail Sonya.Kerr@allstate.com.