“Your next text message isn’t worth your last breath”, they are the sobering words behind a new campaign aimed at tackling mobile phone distraction on Western Australia’s roads.
The Road Safety Commission’s ‘Headstone Phone’ initiative has seen a two-metre-tall headstone of a phone temporarily installed at Yagan Square in Perth, etched with the stark reminder.
The monument, crafted by a local stonemason, aims to be a powerful symbol of the fatal consequences of a momentary lapse in attention and will be supported by a series of billboards, radio and social media videos as part of the campaign.
“We understand the powerful pull of our phones,” said Rebecca Hamilton, Acting Road Safety Commissioner. “But we need drivers to understand that even a quick glance can have devastating, irreversible consequences.
“This campaign calls on WA drivers to help make every journey safe by choosing to put their phone away. No text message is worth your life.”
This year, new safety cameras capable of detecting spot speed, average speed, seatbelt and mobile phone offences have also started to be rolled out on WA roads.
Drivers spotted on the safety cameras using their mobile phone while driving will receive a caution notice in the mail.
