Decorah group wants you to "X the Text"

(Front row, left to right): Noreen Gentry, Randi-Kate Canoy, Alice Gullekson, Lillie Grouws, Sofie Grouws, Ella Grouws. (Second row, left to right): Sam Iverson, Rebecka Green, Leah Blekeberg, Shelby Varney, Claire Breitenstein, Jeni Grouws. (Third row, left to right): Bryce Hosting, Zac Schaller, Jacob Drost.

The Decorah Police Department, Decorah High School Community Club, Pizza Ranch and KDEC Radio are kicking off a campaign to reduce the amount of texting while driving in the Decorah area.

Statistics show if you text while driving, it makes you 23 times more likely to have a crash.  Distracted driving injures 330,000 people every year.

The new campaign--"X the Text"--asks Decorah area residents to sign a pledge that they will "make a conscious commitment to not text while driving, to always wear my seatbelt and encourage my friends and family to do the same."

The text-free driving campaign kicked off Tuesday afternoon at a 2:45 p.m. assembly at Decorah High School.  But organizers are quick to point out the campaign is intended for all age groups--not just students.  The pledges are available at Decorah Bank & Trust, Deco Products, Gallery of Tops, Culver's, Walmart, the A & J Petersburg Agency, Sims TV & Electronics, Hawkeye Stages, Decorah Chevrolet Cadillac and Pizza Ranch