Phones and driving don’t mix: or else, “you could be gone in an Insta”

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Clever campaign could change your perception on distracted driving

We’re back on the never-ending yet massively ignored topic of road safety with another thought-provoking campaign that looks at the perils of distracted driving. And it’s aimed at younger drivers.

Don’t let the cartoonish graphics fool you because road safety (whether it’s yours or that of those you share the road with) is nothing to play with. Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it, so here’s a couple of numbers that send a worrying message and put the campaign’s goals into context.

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A survey on distracted driving conducted by Smith’s Lawyers on 1,235 participants in the US of A revealed some downright scary realities.

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It turns out 63.8% of those interviewed consumed hot foods or drinks while driving in the past six months but here’s the frightening bit: 54.1% admitted to sending or reading messages (SMS, WhatsApp and so on), 31.9% used a social media app and 14% took a selfie behind the wheel.

Here's what Richard Greenwood, marketing manager at Smith's Lawyers told us:

“We decided to create a PSA style series of images aimed at newer drivers to warn of the dangers of using mobile apps such as Snapchat, Instagram and Spotify on the road with hope of changing habits before they are too deeply set in.”

Moreover, the study revealed an elevated rate of mobile phone use behind the wheel for the 18-44 age group. Why is this an issue? Well, statistics say that using a smartphone while driving can multiply the risk of a crash by up to 400%.

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On that note, it’s best we leave you in the company of Humbert Sanchez’ pictures as they speak loudly and explicitly about the traps of Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and the lot – when mixed up with driving, that is.