Gwent driving safety video has international impact

A highly successful road safety film released by Gwent Police has resulted in worldwide action and inspired one of the stars to take up acting.
The harsh and realistic short film tells the story of a girl who kills two of her friends and two other people in a car accident after she attempts to send a text while driving.
The video, uploaded onto YouTube two months ago, has received nearly 2.5 million views and has even been shown in the US as part of a news programme on a Bill currently going through the US Senate, which would require each state to ban texting and driving within two years.
Local director Peter Watkins-Hughes created the video on a £10,000 budget, with the aid of Gwent Police and the ambulance service. It was designed to remind young people of the dangers of attempting to text while driving.
State-of-the-art digital special effects were used to show the effect of what would happen inside the car during impact. A 30-minute version of the film is due to be shown for the first time in the UK this autumn.
The main character, Cassie Cowan, is played by 18-year-old Jenny Davies. Following the success of the short film, she has decided to take a year out before going to university to pursue a career in acting. She said she was impressed that the video had even been successful in the US.
“It has been quite overwhelming, knowing that all the national television stations in the US have taken it on board and there is lots of news coverage over there as well,” she said.
The film is a sequel to a previous documentary called Lucky Luke, made 14 years ago, which showed the devastating consequences of joy riding. It is hoped the film will become part of the core schools programme across Wales and ultimately the UK.
Lyn Samuel, school liaison coordinator for Gwent Police, said: “We worked closely with the production team, including the University of Wales, 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 the film will hit home to viewers.
“I hope that after watching this film motorists will think twice before picking up their mobile phone when behind the wheel and realise that a quick reply to a text message or answering a phone call is never worth putting theirs and other people’s lives at risk.”
In September last year, the RAC Foundation found nearly 50 per cent of drivers aged between 18 and 24 texted while driving. The average reaction times of 17 to 24-year-olds that drove in a simulator while writing or reading texts slowed by 35 per cent.
A recent survey carried out by a leading insurance company revealed that nearly three-quarters of drivers always, or often, see other drivers texting or talking on mobile phones when they are driving.