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Last Text Campaign Is Designed To Stop Drivers Texting While Driving

Last Text Campaign Is Designed To Stop Drivers Texting While Driving

A moving campaign designed to stop people texting and driving displays the last texts people sent from behind the wheel before they died.

Mischa Pearlmen

Mischa Pearlmen

Even if there weren't laws against doing so, common sense should probably dictate that when you're driving, drinking is a really bad idea. But something else you should be wary of is sending text messages - like drink-driving, texting at the wheel is immensely dangerous and has resulted in horrific (and fatal) accidents.

Sadly, it seems that many people still need reminding not to do either of these things - and so a new campaign has been launched to remind people they shouldn't text and drive.

The Last Text Tour is installing giant mobile phones in town centres, each one carrying the final text or social media message sent by drivers who were using their mobile phones while behind the wheel.

Each of the phones is six feet tall and, in addition to the message, is also inscribed with an accompanying plaque that describes how the driver crashed, who they were texting and why. And yes, they're all real - a powerful message indeed.

Credit:Road Respect
Credit:Road Respect

The final messages have also been printed on billboards and signs in petrol station forecourts, as well as distributed to local pubs and bars on beer mats and posters.

The installation is part of the No Look, No Touch, No Phone and is being run in the north-east of England by Road Respect, which is part of the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative.

It has also seen the poignant texts printed on billboards and signs in petrol station forecourts, as well as distributed to local pubs and bars on beer mats and posters.

Credit:Road Respect
Credit:Road Respect

A spokesman for Road Respect explained why they decided to use the phones and messages for their campaign: "The visual nature of the phones/texts aims to draw people's attention in, with the sobering message behind the phones really resonating with drivers and passengers alike, with the outcome being the encouraging of behavioural change behind the wheel.

"This is in the hope that drivers will see and recognise the risks associated with driving and using a mobile phone, before it's too late."

In March 2017, the penalty for using a handheld phone at the wheel became £200 and six points, but studies have shown that it hasn't had that much bearing on the number of people using their phones on the road.

Data from the Department For Transport that was released last year showed how the problem has been on the rise for a while - between 2015 and 2016, the number of people killed in accidents where the use of a mobile phone was a contributory factor rose 59 percent from 22 to 35, while the number of people seriously injured jumped from 99 to 137, a rise of 38 percent.

Take care out there.

Featured Image Credit: Road Respect

Topics: UK News, Cars