The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a multi-million advertising campaign to kick off National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The $5 million media buy will include television, radio, and digital outlets nationwide. New English and Spanish language advertisements will illustrate the fatal consequences of texting and driving.
The new English language ad, “Famous Last Words,” features a funeral procession for “Hannah,” a girl who, a voice over tells us, never crawled, but went straight to walking, then running. An eager girl. A girl whose last text was “SMH”, (shaking my head), as sadly noted by a police officer who picks up her battered phone at the scene of a horrific crash. As the funeral procession continues, viewers see Hannah’s headstone – with the simple letters SMH for her name. The tagline – “If you text and drive, your next message might be your last.”
View English Language Ad
The new Spanish language ad, “Las buenas noticias pueden esperar” features a mother-to-be leaving the doctor’s office. As she gets in her car, she responds to a text from someone asking about her appointment. Second later, an officer picks up the woman’s phone, which is scattered among shattered glass and twisted metal resulting from a car crash. The phone’s last text, demonstrates how precious life is and how quickly it can be lost by a few seconds of texting.
View Spanish Language Ad
Currently, 46 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers. All but five states have primary enforcement. Of the four states without an all driver texting ban, two prohibit text messaging by novice drivers, and one restricts school bus drivers from texting.
