Who started TxtResponsibly.org?
Alarmed at news stories about texting-related car collisions, the staff at Pica Design, LLC—a full-service graphic design and marketing agency in Maine–decided to use our collective skills in design, marketing, advertising and communications campaigning to change behavior: to make people think twice before texting while driving; texting while walking across the street; texting and multitasking, period. We want people to text responsibly.

What has TxtResponsibly.org set out to do?
The mission of TxtResponsibly.org is to raise awareness of the dangers of texting while driving and to prevent harmful injury or death caused by the act of texting recklessly. We are developing a clearinghouse of information to include texting-while-driving articles, laws, videos, and educational/awareness resources. We are also pursuing long-term goals, such as supporting new legislation here in the U.S., reaching out with our educational/awareness campaign internationally, translating our website and materials into other languages, and finding way to support the families of people who have died from texting-related car collisions.

What has TxtResponsibly.org accomplished so far?
Since our inception in late June, 2009, we have:

• established our name, cause and mission
• designed the txtresponsibly.org logo identity
• designed and launched the txtresponsibly.org website
• researched and posted information on State Laws regarding texting while driving
• designed and made available for free download two initial awareness campaign posters
• developed the txtresponsibly oath and initiated a ‘Take the Oath’ campaign at http://txtresponsibly.org/the-oath-2/
• set up a Facebook page and twitter account for txtresponsibly.org to begin connecting with fans and followers
• sent a ‘letter of support’ mailing to introduce txtresponsibly.org to government and education officials, nonprofits and corporations
• set up a ‘Share Your Stories’ blog at txtresponsibly.org and initiated a campaign to connect to people with stories

What does TxtResponsibly.org plan to do in the future?
We plan to generate new materials to heighten awareness; partner with corporations and nonprofit organizations to broadcast the txtresponsibly message far and wide to the audiences that need to hear it; and keep networking. Specifically, we plan to:

• expand txtresponsibly.org’s audience
• partner with nonprofits, such as driver safety organizations and teen/child safety organizations
• partner with corporations, such as developers of handheld devices, car companies, solution software developers, car manufacturers and insurance agencies
• continue to network with national, regional and local transportation and safety organizations
• provide resources at no cost: educational literature, awareness materials, on-line tools (each of these targeted to specific age groups):

Youth Program (10-14 years; perhaps beginning younger) Young Drivers (15-20 years) Adults (20+ years)

• expand our awareness campaigns & education to address other negative texting behaviors
• hire a director for txtresponsibly.org
• continue to network with educational organizations & provide resources at no cost
• establish chapters in at least 6 regions of the U.S.
• find ways to donate to families who have suffered losses due to texting-related collisions or incidents
• develop an interactive memorial wall at txtresponsibly.org for loved ones who have died
• attend transportation safety events locally, regionally (such as Distracted Driving Summit 9/30/09)
• build a network of speakers to attend events around the U.S.
• be the lead advocate for change and information source regarding texting behavior

Next Steps:
• develop a billboard campaign to target 20+ and install in major cities
• develop a radio ad campaign
• design a magnet for cars
• create a ‘texting etiquette’ guide
• implement a ‘cards on cars’ guerilla marketing campaign
• create a video, ‘I Took The Oath’
• design graphics to show trends in texting-while-driving accidents and injuries

We will also continue to build on current campaigns:
• continue to promote the ‘Take the Oath’ and ‘Tell Your Stories’ campaigns with ‘Forward to a Friend’ and other approaches
• review and raise awareness of new technologies that support ‘Don’t Text and Drive’
• keep our website updated and add new content regularly
• create new graphics that: 1) illustrate the dangers of DWT, 2) use humor, 3) reach target age groups

Opportunities to partner with TxtResponsibly.org:
• we want to partner with nonprofit organizations who share our mission and message whose audience is youth, teens and/or adults
• we want to partner with corporations who want to bring the txtresponsibly message to consumers

Contact txtresponsibly.org to begin a conversation on support/partnership: info@txtresponsibly.org or (207) 338-1740.

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