Texting behind the wheel qualifies as irresponsible and completely stupid. But is a gory British public service announcement going to reach kids who believe they are immortal?

Be warned: the four-minute PSA is extremely graphic, showing not only the realistic bloody injuries of three pretty teenage girls, but also an unresponsive infant in a car seat and a preschooler asking her unconscious and bleeding parents to wake up.



Mike Stout, director of the division of traffic safety for the Illinois Department of Transportation, said that he doesn't know if this kind of message would deter teens from texting behind the wheel -- and he wouldn't take the risk of trying to find out.

"This is way too gory," Stout told ParentDish. "...sometimes you have to push the envelope, but if you put this on TV, you'd have no control over who your audience was. Younger kids could see it, and I know some teens that it wouldn't affect at all."

As I watched the clip with my baby nearby, tears came to my eyes when the camera lingered on what appeared to be a dead infant in a car seat with a preschool-age sibling pleading for her parents in the front seat to "wake up."

So the PSA gets right to the heart of parents to avoid the lure of a quick text. But would the teenager behind me do the same?
[Edited 8/25/09 23:07pm]

Not at all. People still don't appreciate how dangerous using your phone or texting while driving can be. If it gets the message across, it's good.

I'd recommend broadcasting it during the dinner hour and at the beginning of the day in high school, in high definition.

YES -it needs to be played and replayed for non drivers and new drivers in schools- maybe part of the driving class or something.

I'm a big fan of the UGLY TRUTH. Put it out there and if anyone doesn't want to pay attention, oh well.

I also believe that they should show a real child birth to teenagers, it may not be a deterrant to teenage pregnancies but at least it gives them something to think about.

wow

and the baby! but it's the truth and I them for making the film. Not too far at all.
[Edited 8/26/09 11:40am]

who the fuck texts while driving? shit I can bearly take a sip of my latte and put it back in the cup holder when I'm behind the wheel.


that vid is fucked up though. sad. people just won't learn.

I saw this on the news channel lastnight. Having just had a baby, the part where the little girl wants her mommy and daddy to wake up was very disturbing to me.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

After recently witnessing my best friend give birth, I fully agree. Her baby was planned and all, but watching the event in all it's gory, painful glory does give one pause.

Up here in the 10th grade we had to watch a birth video called "The Miracle of Life" in sex ed. Problem is, it's an educational video so the quality's grainy and the sound is missing. Loses some of it's effect that way.

I don't think this is too graphic. It's actually quite "polite" compared to what a similar accident could be like in real life.

If this aired, though, out of respect to families with members for whom this wouldn't be appropriate -- say, very young kids and certain elderly folk -- the network could simply open with a warning of disturbing, realistic graphic content. Also, it'd be a great clip to show in driver's ed classes and before certain restricted-rated movies that teens would see.

It'd reach some teens, not all. But we'd know that going in, and it may be worth it.
[Edited 8/26/09 12:45pm]

Not far enough. What DUMB ASS would text while driving?.....2 many.
http://prince.org/msg/100/314943
[Edited 8/26/09 12:43pm]

what's funny is when the one girl wakes up right after the crash, I thought she was gonna start texting again....

It reminded me of the crash in "Death Proof".

ufoclub said:

Oh I love that movie. Kurt Russell "Stunt man Mike" was awesome. His car was awesome. I loved the lap dance in the bar. I loved when Kurt's bitch ass got shot and started wailing like a baby. Damn Sidney got her whole leg chopped off.

anyway



only a dumb ass would text while driving. doesn't anybody use speaker phone anymore?

I don't think it's too graphic at all and this needs to be out in the public. It's not near as bad as those "Red Asphalt" videos I had to watch in high school with real dead people in car crashes and a guy's brain oozing out onto the concrete.

Caramelita said:

Ewwww.

Did that turn you and your classmates into conscientious drivers?

Not too graphic at all! I'm sending this vid to some friends and family members who text when they drive and I go nuts!! STUPIDSTUPIDSTUPID!

Fury said:

you were reading my mind.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Real childbirths???
I think they should CGI them to look even worse.

DesireeNevermind said:

I guess yes, but there were some sick ass classmates of mine that got a kick outta seeing the bloody,mutilated bodies on those series. I remember some of the people shown were young and about close to our ages at the time so it kinda hit home for some of us. There was one vid where a girl was either on her way to prom or came from prom and got in a wreck and she was still in her blood soaked prom dress. Well I haven't watched that stuff since high and school and don't wanna watch it again. Sometimes my high school (I forgot what class did this) would take trips to the morgue (I never went) to see crash victims.
[Edited 8/26/09 20:38pm]
[Edited 8/26/09 20:40pm]

Caramelita said:

That's morbid, but I think it's a good idea. If it scares even one person into being careful when they drive it's done its job IMO.

Dayclear said:

Thank you!! I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

johnart said:

True true. And lots more screaming! I was at my ex's sisters childbirth and she was soooo good. She was in pain but she just gave these little whimpers. I was the first person little Alex heard when he came out. It was one of the highlights of my life.

Dayclear said:

Co-sign x 1,000,000. The sad thing is that this probably won't make a bit of difference...

that shit was something else...


that being said, i will have my kids watch it later on. i cant help but to think that if you are scared it will stop you from doing stupid shit

good job i hope it makes everyone who sees it think again before texting!