Those Blue Eyes . . . Don’t Text and Drive.
This morning, I was riveted to the Today Show as it aired a powerful and controversial public service announcement aimed teens. You’ve heard it from your parents, you’ve heard it from your teachers, and (I hope) you’ve heard it from your responsible friends.
Don’t text and drive. Ever.
The United Kingdom’s Gwent Police Department, in conjunction with filmmaker Peter Watkins-Hughes, put together this graphic PSA.
Chief Inspector John Pavett from Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit hopes the serious message in this film will hit home to viewers:
“Making and receiving calls and texting whilst driving is still happening on roads not just in Gwent but all over the country. Seeing a scenario, like the one Cassie goes through, played out right before your eyes makes you realise how extremely dangerous it can be and what devastating consequences it can have.”
Watch. This. Now. It will haunt you. I can’t get those big blue eyes out of my mind.
NOTE: I was a little baffled why the video had the title “COW taster” — it is explained on the Gwent Police website that “Cassie Cowan” is the name of the driver.
Barbara Nixon
The Today Show piece was terrific for public awareness. My only criticism is Donnie Deutsch’s neglect to include adults in his warning against texting and driving. He mentioned only teens, as if the problem is isolated to them. I see far more adults texting while driving than teens, and they are no more adept at incorporating the two.
Christine — I agree . . . I’ve seen all ages texting and driving. The ones that scare me most are the truck drivers.
Doesn’t even have to be teenagers. I was catching a nap after driving 6 straight hours, coming back from Indiana when the rumble strips on the shoulder woke me up–our car inches from the guardrail.
My wife was texting our girl child while going 75 mph. She said she needed 2 hands to do a capital letter. Better out of touch, than mangled.
Savannah Red: “Better out of touch, than mangled.” Well spoken.
Thanks for sharing this video and story. I’ve passed it on as well.
I just showed this to my 17 year old son….. he said the school has a similar video on drunk driving called every 15 seconds….. Never the less…. this is a good PSA and It really makes you think…. who is alive and who is not and how will she live with knowing she caused all of this hurt……
Thanks for sharing. Texting is so much worse than talking on a cell phone and the research for cell phone use compares to driving drunk. The following is from a study done on the tropic.
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Drivingissues/20060830105036.html
Drivers who talk on either handheld or hands-free cellular phones are as impaired as drunken drivers, according to experimental research conducted by Drs. Frank Drews, David Strayer, and Dennis L. Crouch of the University of Utah.
The study reinforced earlier research showing that hands-free cell phones are just as distracting as handheld cell phones
;’( really sad all because she was txting:(
It was pretty well done, even if it was a little Quentin Tarantino like. The footage from the crash seemed to slow a bit, yet the blood and stunt work made an impact. Hopefully the message will sink in.