Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Urges Community - 'Don't Text and Drive'

Marianjoy rolls out awareness campaign to educate drivers on dangers of distracted driving

WHEATON, Ill., April 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Texting is a simple and effective form of communication that many of us use on a daily basis. It may seem like an innocent task, yet when texting while driving, it delays reaction time equal to having a blood alcohol level at the legal limit of .08. And we all know drinking and driving is illegal and dangerous for you and those around you. So it begs the question - if it's illegal and equally as dangerous, why text and drive?

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is launching a new campaign to raise awareness about the consequences and dangers of texting and driving. The Wheaton-based rehabilitation hospital is leading the initiative because it recognizes not only the inherent danger, but the devastating effects auto accidents have on families.

Kathleen Yosko, President and CEO of Marianjoy, advocates the "don't text and drive" message. "Most people think of text messaging as diminutive, but at Marianjoy we see firsthand how something so simple can lead to a life-altering event," states Yosko. "We treat patients with an array of conditions including brain, spinal cord, and orthopedic injuries that were due to car accidents. Our goal is to educate the public that texting and driving is dangerous and not worth the consequences, for you or your family."

According to www.distraction.gov, a National Highway Transportation Safety Administration website, distracted driving causes over a quarter of a million injuries and nearly 6,000 deaths annually. "These numbers are alarming, especially since these are completely avoidable" states Yosko. "If each driver makes it a habit to not text and drive, these numbers should decrease dramatically and we will all be much safer on the roads."

The new campaign will span radio and website advertising which will be rolled out in early April.

As a leader in rehabilitative therapies, Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is a 120 all private room hospital dedicated to the delivery of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Marianjoy specializes in treating brain injury, strokes, musculoskeletal conditions, spinal cord injuries, pediatrics, and neuromuscular disorders. Marianjoy maintains an extensive network of inpatient, subacute, and outpatient sites and physician clinics throughout the Chicago area. For additional information, please visit www.marianjoy.org.