Governor says Sept. is text-drive awareness month - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) - A campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving is focused, in part, on Wisconsin teens.

State Patrol Superintendent Stephen Fitzgerald says teens are particularly at risk because they're inexperienced drivers and prolific texters.

Gov. Scott Walker has proclaimed September 'Don't Text and Drive' awareness month. The State Patrol will partner with AAA and AT&T to host some high school assembly events this fall in La Crosse, Rhinelander, Wausau, Eau Claire and Madison, among other cities.

The National Safety Council says more than 100,000 times each year, people are injured or die in traffic crashes because the driver was texting. Safety experts say texting takes a driver's eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds. And, at 55 mph, that's like driving the length of a football field completely blind.