With the proliferation of smartphones in the last decade, distracted driving is more of a problem than ever before. A new series of Instagram-friendly PSAs from Smiths Lawyers is made for anyone who’s ever picked up their phone while behind the wheel, and they’re pretty compelling.
The Smiths Lawyers campaign was put together with the help of Geelong based illustrator Humbert Sanchez, and they make sense — especially to anyone that’s seen a social notification pop up on their phone while they’re in traffic or on the highway, and just thought I wonder what that is…. The Instagram one first in the list below is particularly telling.
If you’re driving, please put your phone somewhere where you can’t see it — or mute your notifications at the very least. Anything can wait until you’ve reached your destination. If you absolutely can’t stay away from your phone during a road trip, use it as an opportunity to pull over and relax for a couple of minutes while you catch up on Facebook and Twitter.
You Don’t Want to Get Tagged on This Post
Getting tagged in a post is normally good (occasionally embarrassing) when it comes to Facebook but using the app while driving risks you getting tagged on the wrong type of post.
You Could Be Gone in an Insta
You only have one life so Instagram can wait. Even a few seconds without your eyes on the road is enough for things to go wrong.
From Hip-Hop to Death Metal in 3.5 Seconds
Changing radio stations or music tracks / volume on car stereos has long been an issue. However, now that more drivers are streaming via Bluetooth the issue is potentially even more dangerous. Taking your eye off the road for 3.5 seconds to browse to a different genre or playlist in an app like Spotify would be enough to travel over 77 metres at 80kph. Sadly the tangled death metal in this scenario is not a music genre.
You Could Be Gone In a Snap
Being gone quickly is normally a good thing when it comes to Snapchat but not in this case! Taking a #drivingselfie with a pair of dog ears and a speed filter may look cute (to some) but it could be a recipe to disaster.
U Won’t BRB When U Text and Drive
When you hear a text come through on the road it’s tempting to check it out. Hundreds of thousands of road accidents are caused by texting and driving each year. Turning notifications off or using featured such as driving mode on iOS can help you focus on the road and even let people know you’ll BRB without risking the lives of others (and yourself) to let them know.