A Brevard County Hospital is raising awareness of the dangers of texting and driving.

Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center held a "Drive 4 Pledges Day" in the cafeteria Thursday.

Hospital employees got a chance to get behind the wheel of a special simulator to experience what happens when you text and drive.

And as expected, participants didn't fare so well.

 "It's very distracting," said Heidi McMahon, who took the test. "I mean just looking away for one second makes you feel like you are going to go off the road or you have to take your foot off the pedal to slow down."

"We really focus on high schools," says Cathy McKenzie, with AT&T Community Outreach. "Nationally we've had about 1,500 high schools participate. We try to target the juniors and seniors."

The event was part of the It Can Wait campaign, started by AT&T in 2009.

So far more than 2.5 million online 'no-texting while driving' pledges have been made online.

Participants were able to sign their name to a pledge poster at the event.

Florida law prohibits texting and driving as of this year.