The New Mexico Department of Transportation has unveiled a powerful TV advertisement to highlight the dangers of texting while driving.<\/p>\n
The ad features a mother and her two sons traveling to and from soccer practice. Throughout the ad, the mom texts and drives, swerving in and out of the lanes until she crashes into a truck head on.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo text message is worth causing a car crash and killing a family, or yourself \u2013 it\u2019s that simple,\u201d Governor Susana Martinez said. \u201cWe know it\u2019s a lethal distraction, and we know it\u2019s preventable. There is no excuse. New Mexicans deserve to be safe behind the wheel, and we need to continue doing all that we can to end distracted driving in our state once and for all. The new ad is another step in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ad will play throughout this week on TV and radio. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2014 distracted driving contributed to 16 per cent of U.S. traffic crashes. In New Mexico alone, distracted driving has caused 274 fatal car crashes in just two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are always looking for ways to keep our roads safer and save lives,\u201d NMDOT Secretary Tom Church said. \u201cEvery driver can help us do that. Simply put down your phone and keep your eyes on the road. If it can\u2019t wait, pull over to the side of the road. Find a parking lot. Wait five minutes to get home. It\u2019s never worth the risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new ad is the latest effort by Governor Martinez and her administration to fight distracted driving in New Mexico. The DNTXT campaign includes ads, billboards, and other materials to remind New Mexicans of the dangers of distracted driving.<\/p>\n