NorthwestCell and the Missouri Highway Patrol have teamed up to keep drivers from sending text messages behind the wheel.

Specifically, they are targeting young drivers and will take their awareness program to several northwest Missouri schools in the next two months.

Together they are calling on drivers to pledge not to text and drive. The program will head to schools in Atchison, Gentry Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties.They will be circulating shirts, wrist bands and posters at the high schools.

“More than 100,000 times each year, an automobile crashes and people are injured or die while a driver was texting and driving,” said NorthwestCell General Manager Roger Bundridge, citing a National Safety Council statistic. “Distracted driving is an epidemic on our roadways, and we need people throughout the area to take action in their communities to help put a stop to it”.

NorthwestCell is a cellular communications company based in Maryville.