Since 2011 the number of casualties caused by drivers who are distracted by their mobile phone has increased by a quarter (24%). In light of this, the AA Charitable Trust is raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving with a new spot by adam&eveDDB to be shown in cinema and online.

The commercial highlights the underrated danger of texting whilst driving with a narrative that follows a couple leaving a nightclub: the woman, who is the designated driver for her intoxicated boyfriend, starts to reply to a text as they start their journey. The boyfriend notices and suggests they swap places, in a move that makes a bold statement on the dangers of using a mobile phone whilst driving.

The spot is supported by the Department for Transport’s Think! campaign, who create road safety information and campaigns to reduce road deaths. The new ad coincides with new stricter penalties being introduced today (1st March) for those caught using hand-held phones whilst driving.

The ad was directed by James Rouse from Outsider. It launches online on 1st March and will be in cinema from 3rd March.

Edmund King OBE, AA president, said: “There has been much rhetoric about making text driving as socially unacceptable as drink driving. We have seen excellent drink drive campaigns over the decades that have changed attitudes. We believe that adam&eveDDB brilliantly interpreted the brief and have come up with a clever treatment that builds on the drink drive campaigns and makes text driving as socially unacceptable as drink driving.”