The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced a new traffic safety video designed to inform viewers of the dangers of drinking and driving, failing to wear seatbelts, distractions, texting and speeding. The video, entitled “Gone Too Soon,” will be released this month in time for prom and graduation season.
“This seems to be a very deadly time for younger drivers,” Highway Patrol Capt. Tim Hull said.
The video includes graphic images of car accidents, dramatic music and testimonials of those affected by the tragedies. It is the sixth video the highway patrol has released since 1996. New videos are released often to keep music and images current.
“The video will work for any group, but our main target is the younger driver,” Hull said.
The video is targeted to soon-to-be and current drivers, ages 14-20, and offers elements designed to keep teens interested including modern music and, for the second time, race car driver Carl Edwards.
Presentations are usually given at high schools in assembly or classroom settings but have been conducted for some colleges and church groups. The highway patrol can give the presentation anywhere free of charge. Hull said they are careful of what age groups view the video due to its graphic detail.
“We don’t want to cause any bad dreams or anything for the younger kids,” Hull said.
In one presentation, Hull described a segment of the video where Edwards attempts to drive through a maze of cones at the highway patrol’s lot while texting and driving. Edwards later speaks on the importance of driving attentively.
The video cannot be found online so that viewing can be controlled.
Following the showing of the video, a state trooper talks to students about some less obvious consequences of irresponsible driving, such as tickets, increased insurance rates and jail time. Accident survivors from a group called ThinkFirst often attend presentations to share their testimonials in person.
“The main goal of it is to make everybody aware, and that they will learn from those affected by traffic crashes so it won’t happen to them,” Hull said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32,367 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2011.