Text Messaging While Driving - Graphic PSA Stuns Viewers; Hits Hard

I'm guilty of it myself. A new message arrives in my text inbox while driving and whether I'm on the highway, at a red light, or driving in the snow, it still peaks my curiosity to check who may have just texted me and even better, I typically respond back.

But hopefully a new public service announcement out of of the U.K. will remind text messaging-drivers (perhaps we can call them "Drexters") just how dangerous and even fatal text-messaging can be.

At first, the idea made me laugh a little, because I am perhaps ignorant enough to the dangers of multi-tasking while driving. The small picture of the bloody female accompanied by the headline "Text Messaging While Driving Kills" is a little much to take in. But just a couple of seconds into the four minute video, any viewer is intrigued by the randomness of the severe accident that occurs and the similarity of the causing situation that we all have in common.

Perhaps most powerful is the shot of the family in the other affected vehicles, including a baby with its eyes open, presumed to be dead. For clarity's sake, the female who survives the accident is in fact the driver (U.K. drives on the other side of the car) who had been texting a boy before running into oncoming traffic.

"Drexters" are extremely distracted, yes, and this video demonstrates just how dangerous they can be as well. However, for me, the video could include any number of additional tasks that typically are, yet should not be, done while driving. This may include reaching for something in the backseat, carrying on, turning around to talk to your friend, obviously drinking alcohol while driving, eating even... anything that takes your complete attention away from the road. I even rear-ended someone in the past just because I glanced down in stop-and-go traffic to take my cigarette lighter out.

The PSA, now making its quick rounds on YouTube and news sites worldwide at this point, aims to keep "drexters" from texting while driving. Though the video seems directed slightly more towards teenagers, it's important to remember the "adults" such as myself are just as guilty of doing such a ridiculous thing.

As for me, I just might be pulling over a little more often each time curiosity gets me that good.