Tuesday, April 18, 2017
A PR Failure
It turns out that against all advice and counsel a huge percentage of people use their cell phones while driving. Despite warnings against distracted driving, they continue to dial and chat. The urge to communicate has overpowered common sense even among those who know better. This is a PR challenge of major proportions. It is akin to the campaign to stop people from smoking. So far, the campaign has been a failure. Even laws on the books have not been enough to stop drivers from punching buttons. What will it take to stop this habit? Constant messaging is not enough. Education has not been sufficient. A multitude of voices delivering the message has not worked. The urge to communicate is more powerful than PR methods being used. One possibility is to declare failure and to live with the outcome, but more than 3,000 lives are lost a year due to distracted driving and using one's mobile phone frequently means both hands are off the wheel for a time. A second possibility is to amplify the warnings so one can't avoid the message, especially while driving. This will cost more. A third possibility is to keep hammering away at the present level. although this hasn't worked to date. There might be no good answer, but giving up is not an option that anyone wants to take at the moment.
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