Bucharest - The "Don't text & drive" campaign, launched by Toyota Romania and Centrade Saatchi & Saatchi Romania, is warning drivers about the danger of texting while driving.
The results of a study made by the European Commission and The International Union of Road Transport show that the use of mobile phones while driving increases the risks of a car accident by 50%. The lack of attention is one of the main causes that lead to a car accident while driving in line (12,8%), and to those in which a truck is involved.
The study analyzed 624 car accidents involving large vehicles and the main findings showed that using mobile phones while driving leads to lack of attention on a physical level - by using the hands for typing; on a visual level - by reading the text on the screen; on acoustic level - hearing the sounds of the phone; and on a cognitive level. One in four people involved in an accident is hospitalized due to the usage of mobile phones while driving, and those using these devices excessively while driving are two times more exposed to accidents than those minimizing such activities.
The campaign is based on the idea that sending text messages while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol. Toyota has offered to reveal this truth and to educate both drivers and pedestrians to avoid road accidents.
Developed under the slogan "When you're behind the wheel, sending text messages is more dangerous than alcohol", the campaign includes radio spots with three different real-life scenarios and are addressed to the general public of all ages. The spots were broadcasd on the following radio stations - Kiss FM, Magic FM, Pro FM and Rock FM from April 16th to 30th.
The "Don't text and Drive" campaign has also been entered in the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place in France in June.