Secretary of Transportation Ray La Hood has added another weapon to aid in the battle to combat teen driving tragedies caused by distracted driving.
In collaboration with Regal Cinema, new public service announcements (PSA) have been released that depict in a straightforward manner the risks that texting and driving pose to teens. Using popular shorthand text messages, including “L8R” for “later” or “LOL” for “laugh out loud” provide particularly poignant graphics for crash scenes depicted. The PSA’s are titled “OMG” and will air nationwide at regal Cinema theatre screens this week and on gas station pump-top screens owned by Outcast PumpTop TV throughout December.
You can help us, too, by watching the new ads and sharing them with someone you care about. And when you do, be sure to tell them that One Text or Call Could Wreck it All.
Surveys to high school student accompanying distracted driving presentations presented by members of EndDD.org clearly indicate that teens want to stay connected through texting to keep in touch with friends and not miss news or gossip. Interviews with teens suggest negative perceptions for those that those who do not text and do not respond to texts immediately. These perceptions offer challenges to all who recognize the dangers of teen texting while driving and need to be addressed head on by those seeking to present facts to teen drivers when asking them to consider making changes in their driving behaviors.
Secretary LaHood stated “Teen drivers are particularly vulnerable to distracted driving, which is why we are making an extra effort to ensure they understand the dangers, and thanks to the help of Regal Cinemas and Outcast, we’re reaching teens directly — whether they’re at the movies or filling up their tanks — to emphasize the importance of keeping their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their focus on driving at all times.” View the PSAs online at http://fastlane.dot.gov
