CARSTAR locations throughout Western Michigan Join NABC to highlight distracted driving awareness

Starting August 27, the CARSTAR locations will display vehicles that were involved in distracted driving accidents – flipped upside down in front of their stores – to provide a very real example of what can happen when a driver is distracted on the road. In addition, CARSTAR will take the It Can Wait campaign on the road to local high schools. They will stage distracted driving simulations with virtual reality goggles to demonstrate the dangers of texting behind the wheel and share tips on reducing distractions in the car. The owners of the seven CARSTAR locations in Western Michigan want to remind all drivers that when they are behind the wheel, they have just one job, and that is to focus on driving. Their goal is to help drivers reduce distractions on the road and get to their destinations safely. As teens head back to school in August and September, dangers increase with daily drives to class, outings to football games and trips to other events with friends in the car.  The temptation to take selfies, Instagram, Snapchat in the car, and text with others during the drive, go up as school season gets underway. The National Auto Body Council, a business advocate partner with AT&T’s It Can Wait program, cites survey results showing 97 percent of teens say texting while driving is dangerous — yet alarmingly 43 percent admit to doing so. Teens are not the only guilty parties – the AT&T study also reveals nearly half of commuters (49 percent) admitted to texting while driving — a higher rate than reported by teens. CARSTAR locations in Western Michigan and the National Auto Body Council urge drivers of all ages to act this month:

• Install and use apps that block texts and phone calls when you are behind the wheel
• Reading just one text message keeps your eyes off the road an average of five dangerous seconds
• Take the pledge to end distracted driving at ItCanWait.com -- then text NABC to 50555 to reinforce your commitment to the pledge with NABC

The CARSTAR owners noted that, as collision repairers, they know all too well the consequences of texting while driving and other distracted driving behaviors.  They encourage all young drivers to make a pledge to end distracted driving, keep our eyes on the road and help make our community safer.
 
About CARSTAR
CARSTAR -- a part of the Driven Brands, Inc. family of automotive aftermarket franchise brands -- is North America’s largest Multi-Shop Operator Network of independently owned collision repair facilities with 600 locations in 34 states and 10 Canadian provinces. CARSTAR in the U.S. and CARSTAR in Canada deliver national scale, consistently high-quality vehicle repairs, repeatable outcomes and the industry’s highest customer satisfaction ratings; all repairs are backed by a national warranty and service guarantee. Through a variety of fundraising initiatives, CARSTAR, its franchisees, partners and employees have raised over $3 million for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, and has made fighting cystic fibrosis its cause, North American wide. For more information visit www.carstar.com and www.carstar.ca and follow us on Facebook and twitter. CARSTAR is actively seeking new franchisees. Interested parties should contact 844-906-9764.
 
ABOUT THE NATIONAL AUTO BODY COUNCIL
The National Auto Body Council is the premier organization of collision industry partners dedicated to strategic networking opportunities that positively change lives in the communities we serve. The collaborative membership of the National Auto Body Council has gifted over 1,700 vehicles, provided extrication opportunities to over 1,000 First Responders and contributed to thousands of distracted driving pledges in our communities through NABC Recycled Rides™, First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.™) and the Distracted Driving Initiative. That effort equates to a 4:1 ROI in dollar value delivered from NABC membership dollars.
 
The National Auto Body Council is changing the paradigm of how the collision industry works and is viewed. For more information, visit www.NationalAutoBodyCouncil.org.