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This VW advert will put you off using a phone in the car

If you watch just one road safety advert today, make it this one by Volkswagen.

There have been numerous studies that found using a mobile phone at the wheel is worse than drink-driving and yet many motorists still think it’s okay to send a cheeky text message or have a chat with the ‘besty’. If that’s you, you need to watch the following advert.

All calm before the storm...
All calm before the storm…

Car manufacturer Volkswagen decided to do its bit with a brilliant stunt, which took place at the MCL Cinema in Hong Kong. Movie-goers were shown a car that’s driving along a perfectly straight road from a first-person perspective.

After a while somebody in on the stunt sends a text message to everyone in the cinema using a special device – prompting all heads to glance down at their phones. At this point, eyes are no longer on the road ahead of them as the cameras filming the audience reaction reveal.

You can probably guess what occurs next. We’ll refrain from spoiling the ending anyway because it’s a chilling reminder of what can happen in a split-second.

The advert finishes with the statement: “Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel, a reminder to keep your eyes on the road.”

Figures from the Ministry of Justice suggest fewer drivers are being convicted of using a mobile phone while at the wheel, but experts say the reduction in driver concentration is behind an increase in road deaths.

The government is considering a move to quadruple the maximum fine for a number of driving offences. Being caught on a mobile, for instance, would see you fined up to £4,000 instead of £1,000.

A controversial study from 2013 said using a phone while driving ‘does not lead to higher crash risk’.

VW road safety cinema advert stunt

 

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