Avis Budget Group Inc. announced that it has joined the "It Can Wait" movement in support of eliminating texting while driving.

The anti-texting initiative seeks to raise awareness of the dangers of texting while behind the wheel and encourages drivers to take the pledge to never text and drive.

Texting requires drivers to divert their eyes off the road for approximately five seconds, which equates to traveling the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour without looking. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, there are 100,000 crashes in the United States each year that involve texting while driving.

"Oftentimes, part of the rental experience involves driving an unfamiliar vehicle in an unfamiliar place, which makes it important for drivers to minimize distractions," said Tom Gartland, president, North America, Avis Budget Group. "Therefore, as part of our company commitment to safety and 'putting the customer first,' we strongly encourage drivers to put the phone down. After all, no message is worth a life. It can wait."

In conjunction with Avis Budget Group's support of the "It Can Wait" movement, the company will promote the initiative to customers and employees.