Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Monday joined the growing chorus warning against texting while driving, although he has a driver who chauffeurs him around the city.

"It seems funny to have me saying this," Villaraigosa acknowledged Monday at a City Hall news conference. "Everyone knows I never drive around myself anymore. But it's an important message to get out."

Villaraigosa was joined by LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, Fire Chief Millage Peaks, school board member Nury Martinez and AT&T officials in promoting the campaign.

Beck noted that it is illegal to text while driving and he has instructed officers to enforce the law.

Peaks, whose department responds to 100 traffic accidents a day, said 28 percent of the accidents are due to someone texting while driving.

"Just think of the number of lives that could be saved," Peaks said.

President AT&T California Ken McNeely said there were more than 88 billion text messages sent out last year.

"We don't want to discourage people from texting, just from texting while driving," McKinney said.