Help stop texting while driving, take the "X the Txt" pledge

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - Despite being banned by law in Massachusetts, you don't have to travel far to find someone glancing down at their phone while they're driving.

Just looking down to send or read a simple 'no' or 'yes' text is all it takes to lose sight of the road for long enough to change someone's life forever.

The XtheTXT campaign aims to remind people of just how serious it is. 22News presented a distracted driving simulator as part of the campaign at Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield.

Visitors signed an XtheTXT pledge form and also took home an XtheTXT thumb band which serves as a visual reminder not to text while driving.

Participants took the wheel in a simulator and got to see the effect that texting and driving actually had in a safe environment.

22News headed down to Yankee Candle Village to speak with some of the people and see how the experience in the simulator was. "It's extremely difficult, every time I tried to send a text I would swerve into the other lane, hit a pedestrian, not stop at a red light, hit another car. It actually put it in perspective what could actually happen and how difficult it actually is, so I'm not going to text and drive anytime soon," said Sarah Veilleux of Hebron, CT.

22News XtheTXT campaign is sponsored by Jerry Rome Nissan, Interstate Towing, O'Connell's Convenience Plus and Country Bank.

There are three main types of distraction:

• Visual — taking your eyes off the road
• Manual — taking your hands off the wheel
• Cognitive — taking your mind off what you’re doing
   

While all distractions can endanger drivers’ safety, texting is the most alarming because it involves all three types of distraction.

Other distracting activities include:

• Using a cell phone
• Eating and drinking
• Talking to passengers
• Grooming
• Reading, including maps
• Using a PDA or navigation system
• Watching a video
• Changing the radio station, CD, or Mp3 player

No message or conversation is worth risking a life. To take the "XtheTXT" pledge click here .