CINGULAR AND
AVIS PUT MOTORISTS ON ROAD TO WIRELESS SAFETY
Travel
Expert Diana Nyad Drives
Wireless Safety Promotion
Wireless safety is an everyday concern for motorists.
A survey from Cingular Wireless and Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. shines its headlights
on the need for wireless safety when traveling out of town, especially for people
traveling in unfamiliar vehicles and in unfamiliar places. According to a Cingular
and Avis sponsored 2003 Braun Research survey of American car renters, more than
93 percent of people who own cell phones take them on trips; however, only 48
percent of those surveyed own a hands-free device, and just 36 percent take it
with them when they travel. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed do not check
the local laws on wireless phone use while driving.
To
help address these safety concerns and reduce the level of distractions experienced
by drivers, Cingular and Avis are launching a promotion that helps drivers Be
Sensible and travel more safely in 2004. Now through April 7, consumers who review
the Cingular/Avis wireless safety tips and pledge to Be Sensible will receive
a free ear bud while supplies last, plus a coupon for one free day of Avis Assist
Navigation Global Positioning System (GPS). Customers can connect the free ear
bud to their cell phone, allowing them to instantly talk - hands free. Cingular
provides customers with a variety of ear buds to ensure comfort and compatibility
with most current handsets available today.
The promotion will be fielded
at Avis counters in 28 of the nation's busiest airports, including New York, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Atlanta, San
Francisco and Boston. Consumers who take the safety pledge at the counter will
instantly receive the free ear bud and Avis Assist coupon. Consumers can also
log onto www.avis.com/besensible
and take the safety pledge online; the free ear bud and coupon will be mailed
to online participants. Travel
expert Diana Nyad, currently hosts a weekly national radio show called "The
Savvy Traveler" and contributes a weekly column on National Public Radio's
"Morning Edition." Nyad has teamed up with Cingular and Avis to disseminate
the following Be Sensible wireless safety tips:
·
Stay with us for a while
The Avis lot offers a quiet retreat to familiarize yourself
with car controls, configure your wireless phone and hands-free
device and check voice mail.
·
There's no such thing as a free ride
Have
your passenger take calls, read maps and complement your
driving skills.
·
Keep your eyes on the prize
Avoid taking notes or looking
for phone numbers while driving. Use Voice Connect where available
for hands-fee dialing.
· Drvng N TXT MSGNG DNT MX
Text messaging and interactive
paging are off-road activities.
· Driving is a hands-on experience
Use a hands-fee device for your wireless phone when possible.
· Don't overheat in traffic
For stressful or emotional conversations, move safely off the road.
· Heavy traffic? Slippery roads?
Say those three magic words: Call Me Later.
· Ignorance
is not always bliss
Know the wireless phone laws of the states in which you'll be traveling.
"As
wireless phones have become commonplace in society it is imperative that people
realize the importance of wireless safety, especially when driving through unfamiliar
cities in unfamiliar rental cars," said Nyad. "Cingular and Avis have
put together a great promotion to educate consumers and affect a positive change
in wireless safety behaviors."
Survey
Says:
Only 20 percent of survey respondents admitted to feeling more distracted
in a rental car than in their own car. Of the survey respondents who listed ways
to limit distractions, 25 percent answered that they drive more carefully, 15
percent said they slow down, 14 percent said they refrain from using a cellphone,
14 percent said they turn off the radio/CD player, and 14 percent said they
ask for directions before getting in the car. Who do people call when they arrive
at their destination? Forty-five percent call their spouse/partner, 19 percent
call their child/children, and only 1.9 percent call their boss.
For
more information visit www.avis.com or www.cendant.com/media
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