Get your head from up your app: The sassy social campaign aimed at US drivers

“If you’re distracted, you’re not driving.” That’s part of the underlying message of a social media campaign in the US to get motorists to be more aware behind the wheel – and not distracted by using their mobile phones, doing make-up or eating.

The hashtag #JustDrive features everything from gifs and stats to sassy overhead signs. It started being used during April’s national distracted driving awareness month but the tweets have just kept coming.

Everyone from police and highways agencies to driving organisations and insurance companies has been giving their take on road safety, with the Department of Transport and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) leading the original campaign.

But can messages targetted at US motorists have any impact over here? You decide.

There should be no exceptions.

WRAP – the Washington Regional Alcohol Progam – is a partnership scheme determined to prevent drink-driving and underage drinking.

Heads up.

A good play on words from Michigan State Police.

Cars arent’t the place for multi-tasking.

In the US, data from the NHTSA shows that at least 3,450 people died in accidents involving distracted drivers in 2016. Women and young drivers were more likely to be involved – which explains why much of the advice targets these groups.

Be a positive role model.

Smart Drive, which focuses on keeping teen drivers safe, targeted parents with its messaging imploring them not to pass on bad habits – or to call or text when they knew their child would be driving.

What’s so important?

Eye-catching gif use from Maryland Transportation Authority which explains that calls can wait.

The long and short of it.

To translate, Sport England says an American football pitch is between 104 and 109 metres. A regular football pitch (senior level) would be 100 metres. A long way to go without looking at the road.

What you can do, what you can’t.

Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office is impressed by multi-tasking – just not when driving.

The May 4 tie-in.

Staying in Kansas, this time the Department of Transport called upon Princess Leia to help pass on its message.

If you’re going to drive, do it right.

Police in Avon, Ohio challenged the definition of driving. Telling followers that if they text when behind the wheel it doesn’t count as driving.

And as for why people get stopped…