Texting and Driving PSA - Music by Avril Lavigne

Watch Texting and Driving PSA - Music by Avril Lavigne video on DTube

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The four-minute sequence involves British student actors and crews -- and is part of a larger 30-minute drama produced and directed by Peter Watkins-Hughes -- an award winning former BBC producer who is also a lecturer for the Documentary Film & Television department at the Newport School of Art, Media and Design in Wales. This drama was made for -- and with -- the Gwent Police Department, located approximately 150 miles west of London.

The graphic clip is professionally staged -- but does a fine job hammering its message home. In my view, it should be seen by every person who has ever picked up a phone while driving.

Tredegar Comprehensive School and Gwent Police present a half hour drama entitled 'COW' --The film that will stop you from texting and driving," with SPECIAL EFFECTS BY ZIPLINE CREATIVE http://www.ziplinecreative.co.uk (this is a trailer video)

COW: Its all about Cassie COWan a nice girl from a Gwent valleys family who kills four people on the road because she used her mobile and lost her concentration for a few seconds. Gwent police is proud to have helped Brynmawr filmmaker Peter Watkins- Hughes in the production, which stars local drama students Jenny Davies as Cassie, and Amy Ingram and Laura Quantick as her friends, Emm and Jules.

Gwent Police facilitated the films crash scenes because we want to stop ALL drivers, but particularly young and new ones, from causing accidents.

Over 300 teenagers from all over Wales were auditioned to take part in the film, nine police vehicles were involved and both the police and air ambulance helicopters featured.

State of the art digital special effects were utilized to show the impact of what would happen inside the car during impact.

Lyn Samuel, School Liaison Coordinator for Gwent Police said: We worked closely with the production team including the University of Wales Newport, Tredegar Comprehensive School and local partners including the council and Probation Service. The result is a very impactive road safety educational tool to help reduce the number of collisions involving young drivers across Wales. Chief Inspector John Pavett from Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit hopes the serious message in this film will hit home to viewers:

Making and receiving calls and texting whilst driving is still happening on roads not just in Gwent but all over the country"

Seeing a scenario, like the one Cassie goes through, played out right before your eyes makes you realize how extremely dangerous it can be and what devastating consequences it can have.

I hope that after watching this film motorists will think twice before picking up their mobile phone when behind the wheel and realize that a quick reply to a text message or answering a phone call is never worth putting theirs and other peoples lives at risk.

Original video produced by Tredegar Comprehensive School and Gwent Police
Editing for this and addition of music done by me.