Washington DC, April 12, 2024 – In support of Distracted Driving Prevention Month this April, the Ad Council, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and For Goodness Sakes released new creative assets that raise awareness of the dangers of using a cell phone while driving.
These new creative assets are an extension of NHTSA and the Ad Council’s ongoing Distracted Driving Prevention campaign to discourage the ever-present temptation for cell phone usage while operating a vehicle. The aim of the creative is to encourage drivers to be more aware of their behavior and avoid distractions while driving.
“It’s a privilege to be part of the Ad Council’s national campaign to fight distracted driving,” said Kevin Smith, principal of For Goodness Sakes. “Texting has conditioned us to be communicative at any moment, including in the car. But our firm’s research and subsequent creative underscore the reality that those who care most about us are the last people who’d want us taking that risk.”
According to the latest 2022 NHTSA data, the prevalence of distracted driving killed 3,308 people this past year and injured an estimated additional 289,310 in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers. Eight percent of fatal crashes, 12% of injury crashes and 11% of all police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2022 were reported as distraction-affected crashes.
“The innovation within these new assets shine an important light on the realities of distracted driving and the harm it can cause to people’s lives,” said Michelle Hillman, Chief Campaign Development Officer, Ad Council. “On behalf of the Ad Council and NHTSA, we are grateful to For Goodness Sakes for their creativity and passion in collaborating to raise awareness of the dangers of using your phone while driving.”
The creative assets feature text messages about loved ones, colleagues and others, encouraging drivers to resist distraction and keep their eyes forward. The straightforward nature of the digital and out-of-home creative centers around the idea that no matter the text or who it is from, distractions like checking your phone are not necessary, and friends and family want any loved one behind the wheel of a vehicle to keep their eyes forward and focus on the road. The latest creative installment, developed by For Goodness Sakes, includes digital and out-of-home assets set to appear across the country in donated media space. Since first launching in 2011, the campaign has garnered over $460 million in donated media and over 24 billion impressions.
The Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit’s founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic and impactful campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, racial justice, gun violence and other critical issues, the Ad Council’s national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day.
To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and view campaign creative on YouTube.
NHTSA
For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving safety on our nation’s roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.
For Goodness Sakes
For Goodness Sakes is a social impact communications firm that helps nonprofits, foundations and government agencies leverage behavioral change for public benefit. Grounded in behavioral science principles, its work increases public education and access to programs and services that address long-standing societal issues with complex root causes.
To learn more, visit fgsakes.org or join For Goodness Sakes communities on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Ben Dorf
bdorf@adcouncil.org