DALLAS, May 16, 2012 — Findings from a new survey commissioned by AT&T* as part of the “It Can Wait” campaign indicate Hispanic teens are highly vulnerable when it comes to texting while driving. A shocking 54 percent of Hispanic teens admit to texting while driving, compared to 41 percent of Caucasian and 42 percent of African-American teenagers.

Even though most teens polled in this survey understand the dangers of texting while driving, more than 43 percent of teens admit to sending a text while driving and 75 percent say it is common among their friends. But even more troubling is the fact that these teens feel pressure to respond to texts quickly – within five minutes or less.

Smartphone penetration is very high among teenagers, especially among Hispanic teens who over-index on smartphone and technology adoption. According to this survey, 78 percent of the Hispanic teens interviewed in this survey report owning a smartphone, compared to only 68 percent of Caucasian teenagers. Additionally, Hispanics are more likely to be a cell phone-only household, meaning they use their cell phones as their primary way of communication, according to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) by the Pew Research Center.

Taking the message on the road

To help address the issue and show first-hand the risks of texting while driving, AT&T is launching a 30-market U.S. tour of a texting-while-driving simulator , offered by The Peers Foundation. The simulator is a computerized car that lets users virtually text and drive – providing a realistic but safe experience for teens to understand the dangers of texting behind the wheel.

“Knowing that texting and driving is a recurring problem among teens in the Hispanic community, we’re extremely honored to support AT&T’s ‘It Can Wait’ campaign, which aims to educate the community on the dangers of texting behind the wheel,” said Gus West, The Hispanic Institute. “We, as adults, have to do our part by leading by example and putting the phone away while driving.”

The tour is traveling to local high schools nationwide May 8-June 1.

The simulator will tour the West in Seattle and Spokane, Wash; Eugene and Portland, Ore.; Bakersfield, Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco, Calif.

It will also tour through Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas; Little Rock, Ark.; St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.; and Omaha, Neb. Other cities include Denver, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. In Florida, the simulator will travel to Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Wellington. It will also be in Brentwood and Knoxville, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky.

WASHINGTON, DC (May 3) - Today, The Hispanic Institute called on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to denounce a House bill that would effectively militarize America's borders.

The National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (H.R. 1505), authored by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), would give the Department of Homeland Security expanded powers to obtain operational control of federal lands within a 100-mile swath of the northern and southern U.S. borders. Bishop claims the bill is necessary to help protect the country’s borders.

The agencies tasked with border security disagree. The United States Border Patrol has been slow to embrace the bill and has asserted that it has the border security issue under control.

A recent report from the Pew Hispanic Center buttresses the Border Patrol’s claims. The report concludes that immigration from Mexico slowed to "a standstill" between 2005 and 2010.

H.R. 1505 proposes a solution to a problem that simply does not exist. By stretching Homeland Security’s increased powers to states like Maine and Minnesota, it demonstrates that its real intent is not to bolster national security - but instead to undermine federal regulations over a host of lands and industries.

The Hispanic Institute mourns the untimely passing of Chuck Zicari. Chuck was a driving force in The Hispanic Institute’s Civic Engagement and Elections Program.  We at the institute will forever appreciate his contribution.

Charles John Zicari grew up in Rochester, NY and began his political career as a field operative on local and state legislative races. He worked for New York State Senator William Steinfeldt as a legislative aide and then as his chief aide in Albany.  After working in Albany, he was elected to the Greece (NY) City Council.  After leaving public office, he began working as a political consultant to local, state, and national campaigns. A former school teacher, and guest lecturer at The Jefferson School of Law and Government, The Aquinas Institute, and Curry College, Chuck maintained an involvement in educational policy throughout his life.