WGBA -Graphic PSA Scares Teens from Texting Behind the Wheel
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A British public service announcement tries to scare teens from texting. The graphic video has had almost $2 million views on YouTube. It gruesomely shows a car accident caused from a teen girl texting while driving. Two of her passengers die in the wreck. There's shattered glass, lots of blood, even the sound of bones breaking. But is it too graphic?
We showed the clip to teens and their parents. "It's very realistic, I mean they don't hold anything back," said Carly Ganter, 15. "I have goose bumps all over my body," her mom, Lisa said while watching the video.
Some parents were even disturbed by what they saw. "To the point it went I don't know if I would quite go that far," said Greg Kummer, a father of a teenager.
But for others the violent images are right on target. "Kids need to be aware of what would happen if they were put in that situation and that's what the video does," said Carly Ganter.Her mom agrees. "I think it would be great idea for them to show it in a driving class," said Lisa Ganter.
One driving program in Green Bay is already considering showing the video to students. "I don't think they realize how dangerous it is," said Tom LaPlante, owner of AABC Driving School. LaPlante knows how hooked teens are on texting.
Spend just 10 minutes in his class. Teen after teen thumb away on their phones. He knows some of them will do it in the car too. "They kind of shrug it off because everybody else does it, so why can't I?"
But the reality is...texting while driving isn't just a trend with teens. Plenty of us do it. According to AAA, one in five U.S. drivers admit to texting while driving. Reports show texting while driving slows reaction time 35 percent...making it more dangerous than driving while high or drunk.
What asked what he thinks it will take to get people to change their ways, LaPlante said, "A close call." But the makers of the PSA hope to keep that "close call" from ever happening.
Critics though argue fear isn't an effective teaching tool and the bloody images may have no lasting impact. "You can say it to someone as much as you want it doesn't mean they are going to do it," said Marshall McFarlin, 15.
But some experts disagree. Dr. Steven Kimball, a professor in education at the University of Green Bay, said teens may change their behavior if parents and teachers talk to them about what they saw. "You see the film, you talk about the film, have that discussion and then return to that a week later or two weeks later and say 'hey remember when we were talking about this film on YouTube?' And then it may have some long term effect," said Kimball.
But for now just seeing it once is enough for these teens to get the message. "It was pretty scary," said Aimee Kummer, 17. "I won't text when I drive." "Telling you not to do it isn't going to do justice. Seeing it will," said Carly Ganter.
