When it comes to driving home the lesson about texting and driving, the younger the better.

That's the philosophy behind AT&T's Wheel and Pedal simulator.

As part of AT&T’s aggressive Txtng & Drivng…It Can Wait public awareness campaign, the communications company took its simulator to Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearrs Ave., Tampa, last week to give Barbie Monty's fifth-grade class a chance to try it out.

According to Michele Money-Carson, senior public relations consultant for West Florida AT&T Corporate Communications, the goal of the “It Can Wait” movement is to save lives and make texting and driving as unacceptable as drinking and driving.

"That is the simple-yet-vital message AT&T is sending drivers, particularly teens," she said. "It’s never too early to drive this message home."

The statistics tell the story.

AT&T conducted a national online survey among 1,200 teenagers age 15 to 19 years old on their driving and texting habits.

• Texting drivers are 23 times more likely to be in an accident.
• On average, teens send five times as many text messages a day as a typical adult.
• 75 percent of teens surveyed said texting while driving is “common” among their friends.
  
• 77 percent of teens have seen their parents text and drive.