PSA demonstrates how distracted driving accidents occur

Thanks to smartphones, the world is literally at our fingertips 24-7. We use our phones to connect with family and friends, stay up on current events, play games, surf the Internet, shop and do countless other things.

But the problem is that smartphones can also be very distracting, especially when behind the wheel of a car. Distracted driving only appears to be getting worse, which is why the automaker Volkswagen decided to release a clever and attention-grabbing public service announcement on the problem.

The PSA starts by showing people filing into a crowded movie theater. Once the lights go dark, the screen shows a dashboard and a person starting a car. The car then takes off down the road, music playing, as the audience watches from the driver’s seat.

Unbeknownst to the crowd, a location-based broadcaster sends an alert to all of the cellphones in the theater. Immediately, many of the movie-goers pull out their phones to check the alert they have received, and within split seconds, the car on the movie screen is involved in a major crash.

The audience looks startled and somber when the following words appear on the screen: Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel.

The reminder from Volkswagen for drivers to keep their eyes on the road has generated worldwide attention. The PSA clearly demonstrates that it only takes looking away for a couple of seconds for a serious accident to occur.

In addition to being seriously injured or killed in accidents caused by distracted driving, drivers can also face criminal and civil liability, which is all the more reason to put smartphones away while behind the wheel.