By Theda Braddock
Kill or get killed. Was it worth reading that text message? Or answering that call or that email? In its new poster and radio campaign, released on April 2nd, Sécurité Routière highlights the absurdity of people’s compulsive use of the telephone behind the wheel in light of the huge risks incurred.
“Be sure to tell his children that you really had to answer that sms”, “Be sure to tell his wife that you absolutely had to take that call”, “Be sure to tell his family that you positively had to read that email” these dramatic statements printed over images of lifeless bodies draw the attention of road users to the dangers of this distractor.
KEY FIGURES OF TELEPHONE USE BEHIND THE WHEEL.
– Telephone conversations while driving are responsible for one bodily injury in 10
– Telephone use behind the wheel multiplies the risk of an accident by 3
– A person using his phone while driving registers between 30 and 50% less road information
– Reading a message behind the wheel entails averting one’s eyes from the road for 5 seconds. At 50 km/h, 5 seconds corresponds to a distance of 70 meters…
– Reading a message while driving multiplies the risk of an accident by at least 23.
Marius’ Testimony:
I received a telephone call, and wanted to know what it was about. So I lowered my head to see (…) and when I looked up again I’d changed direction and veered off course. I hit a tree and smashed my cervical vertebrae (…) so I’m now quadriplegic.
Campaign title: On the road, a telephone can kill.
Rias Safety Management:
Laurence Derrien, Laurence Dudal, Laetitia Moch
Chief creative officer : Pascal Grégoire
Creative Director : Nathalie Foratier & Ibrahim Seck
Copywriter : Antoine Defaye
Art Director : Mathieu Viollet Bosson, Guillaume Ganty
Head of production : Nicolas Buisset
Producer : Melina Audoux
Account executives : Marina Flammier, Rodolphe Pedrono
Strategic planner : Justine Cavanie
Director of communication / PR Barka Zerouali
About the Contributor
Theda Braddock is an American who lives and works in Paris. She helps agencies develop their communication and promote creativity, and writes for several publications when she has time.
