Text and Drive-This (Hearse) May Be Your Last Ride

The imposing funeral hearse parked in front of the high school sent a foreboding message as the cold rain chilled to the bone. We’re all familiar with the “Don’t drink and drive” advertising but statistics would show there is just as much at stake when a driver is distracted by their phone.

Drivers who are texting are  23 times more at risk of a “crash or near crash event”. So the hearses parked at local high schools are carrying the messages “Tweet and drive, this may be your last ride”, also “Text and drive this may be your last ride” and of course the sobering “Drink and Drive this may be your last ride” In spite of the rain, parents who were dropping off their kids at the school did stop and yell out their windows “Thanks for doing this!” in sincere appreciation.

In addition to the silent message borne by the hearses we participated in “mock car crashes” at other local schools. Several students at another high school when asked if this was too gruesome said they were glad we were there, that this was “good stuff” and that they were glad we were sending these messages. Thumbs up from the parents at all of these events indicated that they hoped the kids would get the message.