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Drivers who text 'twice as likely to crash as those who drink' Drivers who text 'twice as likely to crash as those who drink'
(35 minutes later)
Drivers are twice as likely to crash “text-driving” as drink-driving, a coalition of motoring groups and road safety bodies have warned, as they unveiled a hard-hitting campaign highlighting how it can cause death and injury over Christmas. Drivers are twice as likely to crash “text-driving” as drink-driving, a coalition of motoring groups and road safety bodies have warned, as they unveiled a campaign highlighting how it can cause death and injury over Christmas.
With Friday set to be the busiest day for traffic this holiday period – when about 13 million drivers will travel 20 miles or more – drivers are urged not to put lives at risk by texting. With Friday expected to be the busiest day for traffic this holiday period – with about 13 million drivers making journeys of 20 miles or more – drivers are urged not to put lives at risk by texting.
The video, set to Bing Crosby’s classic 1943 song I’ll be home for Christmas, shows a young girl at home texting her father while he is driving home for Christmas.The video, set to Bing Crosby’s classic 1943 song I’ll be home for Christmas, shows a young girl at home texting her father while he is driving home for Christmas.
As the film continues, it is revealed he has been involved in, and killed, in an accident. The film ends with a picture of father and daughter at a roadside memorial with the tagline “Make it home for Christmas.” As the film continues, it is revealed he has been involved in, and killed, in an accident. The film ends with a picture of father and daughter at a roadside memorial with the tagline “Make it home for Christmas”.
“Every day around the world 3,500 people don’t make it home to their families, because they’ve been killed in a car crash” said Saul Billingsley, the executive director of the FIA Foundation, which is supporting the campaign, being aired on YouTube. “Increasingly, driver distraction is a factor. So the FIA Foundation is pleased to support this hard-hitting, life-saving message.” “Every day around the world 3,500 people don’t make it home to their families, because they’ve been killed in a car crash,” said Saul Billingsley, the executive director of the FIA Foundation, which is supporting the campaign being aired on YouTube. “Increasingly, driver distraction is a factor. So the FIA Foundation is pleased to support this hard-hitting, life-saving message.”
Edmund King, the chairman of the AA Trust, said: “We know Christmas should be a happy family time and we want to keep it that way. The ‘Make it home for Christmas’ message is hard‐hitting but so are the consequences of text-driving. Drink-drive campaigns are common at this time of year and yet you are twice as likely to crash text-driving as drink-driving. Neither texting nor drinking should be mixed with driving if you want to make it home for Christmas.” Edmund King, the chairman of the AA Trust, said: “We know Christmas should be a happy family time and we want to keep it that way. The ‘Make it home for Christmas’ message is hard‐hitting but so are the consequences of text-driving.
“Drink-drive campaigns are common at this time of year and yet you are twice as likely to crash text-driving as drink-driving. Neither texting nor drinking should be mixed with driving if you want to make it home for Christmas.”
Since 2011, the number of casualties caused by drivers distracted by their mobile phones has increased by a quarter. From March 2017, the fixed penalty for using a handheld mobile phone while driving doubled from £100 to £200 and penalty points from three to six.Since 2011, the number of casualties caused by drivers distracted by their mobile phones has increased by a quarter. From March 2017, the fixed penalty for using a handheld mobile phone while driving doubled from £100 to £200 and penalty points from three to six.
According to Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) research, reaction times are twice as long text-driving as drink-driving yet there is still a prevalence of high-profile court cases of drivers causing death and serious injuries due to texting, calling or searching for music while driving. According to Transport Research Laboratory research, reaction times are twice as long text-driving as drink-driving yet there is still a prevalence of high-profile court cases of drivers causing death and serious injuries because of texting, calling or searching for music while driving.
In a parallel crackdown, drinks giant Diageo is urging consumers to never drink and drive by signing up to its global programme #JoinThePact. More than 7 million adults worldwide have backed the scheme, which is supported by Johnnie Walker’s sponsorship of Formula 1 partnerships and fronted by former and current F1 drivers including Mika Häkkinen. In a parallel crackdown, drinks conglomerate Diageo is urging consumers to never drink and drive by signing up to its global programme #JoinThePact. More than 7 million adults worldwide have backed the scheme, which is supported by whisky brand Johnnie Walker’s sponsorship of Formula 1 partnerships and fronted by former and current F1 drivers including Mika Häkkinen.
Charles Ireland, the general manager of Diageo Great Britain, Ireland and France, said: “We’re proud of our track record in tackling drink-driving in the UK and around the world, but we are not complacent and are determined to do more.”Charles Ireland, the general manager of Diageo Great Britain, Ireland and France, said: “We’re proud of our track record in tackling drink-driving in the UK and around the world, but we are not complacent and are determined to do more.”