With the help of a grant given by State Farm, the non-profit group Generation tXt was formed in 2008 by a group of Booker T. Washington High School students and parents in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group was concerned about the negative consequences texting and driving was having on their friends and families.

The original teens involved in the program understood car crashes are the number-one cause of death among their peers, and their friends were 23 times at greater risk of crash due to texting while driving.

Carol Bush, the executive director of Generation tXt, was one of the parents who had a teen preparing to drive. “We thought it would be helpful to get a group of like-minded teens together who could really have an impact on their peers,” Bush said.

Generation tXt was born.

The diverse group of students developed their own identity. They prepared logos, banners, social media content, and talking points they used to share their message to other students: not to text while driving.

The program spread to additional schools in the Tulsa area and the teens began to share their message with community groups and driving schools. They were having a positive impact in Oklahoma and, as a result, many of their peers were putting down the phone.

Then something unusual happened. Generation tXt Coordinator Christy Blystone explains. “The teens in the group kept pushing to have a bigger impact. One day we were talking about the fact Oklahoma was one of only five states without a texting and driving ban.”

The teens took that fact a little hard and began planning their next mountain to climb – a trip to the Oklahoma Capitol to advocate for a new law.

The Generation tXt students, parents, and sponsors all piled into cars for the trip to Oklahoma City, a trip they would make many times over the years.

“We literally knocked on the doors of our senators and representatives, talking with anyone who would listen about the dangers of texting and driving,” said then-student Juliann Thomison. “We knew we had to be brief and convince them they could play a part in saving the lives of Oklahomans.”

For four years the students made the trip to the Capitol, pushing, pleading, prodding and hoping for success. And for four years, texting and driving legislation stalled out and died. Several of the Generation tXt students graduated, but there were always new students to take up the quest.

Finally in 2015, their consistent work and visits began to pay off.

State Representative Terry O’Donnell noticed the students in the Capitol and was impressed by the way they lobbied his fellow legislators. “The Governor challenged our legislature to send her a bill that would protect people by banning texting and driving,” O’Donnell said. “Bills have a way of dying off from lack of momentum but they (Generation tXt) would not let that die.”

Sensing victory in the air, a coalition of supporters, including Generation tXt, pushed hard and made sure Oklahoma House Bill 1965 gained enough traction to finally garner the votes needed.

The students were present in the gallery when the final vote was taken. A cheer went up as the gavel cracked and the bill was passed. Thanks to hard work and the commitment of Generation tXt, Oklahoma became the 46^th state to ban driver texting.

“Without their help and support, I don’t think we would have gotten it passed at all,” Representative O’Donnell confirmed.

Many would think this is the end of the story, but Generation tXt continues to teach and advocate for stronger laws, prepared to accept the next challenge to keep Oklahomans safe.

Fast forward to present day. This personal tragedy as a young man drove Otto to encourage safe driving. He also become a Texas State University Police Officer.

Driven to discourage distracted driving

In his day job, Otto, a New Braunfels resident, works as a Crime Prevention Specialist, eight hours a day. Nights and weekends in a college town can be lively, but Otto spends them quietly, often alone, in his two-car garage focusing on his non-profit work.

He’s building tools that prevent lively weekends from turning into potentially deadly ones. He invented an electronic driving simulator he calls the DwiPod.

Otto’s passion to teach teens about distracted driving dangers stems from not only personal tragedy but professional experience. His tools present a realistic experience. Users are seated with pedals, at a steering wheel, with a large TV screen and loud speaker, presenting driving simulations that introduce distractions and obstacles.

In the most recent data from 2015, The Texas Department of Transportation reports more than 106,000 crashes in the state were caused by driver inattention; nearly 400 of those crashes involved fatalities.

Gaming assists in development

Otto is an avid video-gamer which has helped him create a highly technical product. He and his son first started experimenting using impairment goggles and a popular auto racing game. It was the enjoyment in the lesson and his son’s reaction that made him realize something important. Teenagers could relate to an interactive learning tool to teach best driving practices.

“It’s a fun, engaging program for them to get to drive and experience real life situations. It’s something many young adults would like to try, anything like this that is fun for them, but in the end sends a message: not to engage in distracted or impaired driving,” shared Otto.

Otto’s customers include universities, hospitals and police departments. Recently, the Plano, Texas Police Department purchased a DWIPod with a $15,000 grant from State Farm.

“Hopefully it’s going to teach them to make the right decision,” says David Tilley, Plano Police Department’s Public Information Officer. “The more we can educate people on the dangers associated with (distracted driving) that is going to make it less likely for someone to take that risk and that is what this product allows us to do.”

The Plano Police Department is currently using its simulator for community safety events and high school visits. Otto has delivered a total of 33 handmade simulators reaching tens of thousands of Texas students.

 New technology presents new opportunities

Otto continues his research and development to improve his simulators. He recently introduced state-of-the-art virtual reality goggles that simulate impairment, rollover crashes and distracted driving dangers using realistic 360 HD Virtual Reality videos. Otto also partners with Allan JP Beaton, owner of IASystems Computer Controls. Together they are putting final touches on a motorcycle simulator that will promote motorcycle safety.

Otto’s work is geared to help reduce the number of distracted driving crashes, not only where he lives in the Texas Hill Country, but for students across America where his simulators are being used.

In a 2016 survey conducted by State Farm, 80% of teenagers asked admitted to using their smartphones while driving. Teenagers admitted to using their devices to navigate, communicate, browse the web and take pictures and video. The teenagers said they understand using their cellphone behind the wheel is dangers, but admitted to it being a habit to stay in touch with friends and family.

“If we can keep one person from drinking and driving or driving impaired and that saves one other person, just one, everything I’ve ever done with this program is worth it,” says Glenewinkel.

For more information you can reach Otto via e-mail at otto@dwipod.com.