It comes as no surprise that texting and driving is a cocktail for disaster, but according to a recent study conducted by State Farm Insurance teenage drivers believe that the single best way to deter the practice was to get in a car crash or know someone who has. This comes as discouraging news to the companies, families and national department of transportation that has begun a series of efforts to deter distracted driving. State officials have likened texting while driving to drinking a bottle of liquor in the vehicle. In fact texting while driving is like having consumed four beers or driving the entire length of a football field- blindfolded. Those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car accident.

Wireless company AT&T is asking people to sign a “It Can Wait” pledge in their community colleges and local high schools. Those who sign pledge to never text and drive again. It is part of a statewide anti-texting campaign launched by AT&T in addition to the release of a series of emotional documentaries of the people involved in texting and driving accidents. The commercials, which are distributed on popular youth sites such as Pandora and Youtube, are aimed to show the devastating effects texting while driving can have and to give a face to its victims.

Thankfully 80% of teenage drivers surveyed believed that harsher punishments and increased police enforcement would deter them from texting and driving in the future. September 19 is now officially “No Text on Board Pledge” Day. Students and adults alike are encouraged to pledge to not text and drive for the entire month.

Each year there are more than 100,000 vehicular accidents caused by someone who is texting while driving. At a local high school’s pledge event Tennessee Rep. Jon Lundberg encouraged drivers who are tempted to text while driving to remember, “It can always wait.”