Quebec’s auto insurance board launches new campaign against texting and driving

Quebec’s auto insurance board, the Société de l’assurance automobile (SAAQ), is broadcasting two commercials intended to illustrate the dangers of texting at the wheel.”Cell phones are a part of daily life for many people and, as a result, are in people’s cars,” the SAAQ said in a statement on its Web site announcing the new campaign, Your Smart Phone Isn’t Smart Enough to Drive.”The growing use of cell phones at the wheel to send and receive text messages is becoming a serious road safety problem. “The commercials show that an accident can happen quickly when a driver’s attention is distracted by an absorbing activity like texting.”The SAAQ said its message is mainly addressed to drivers aged between 16 and 24.A TV ad shows a professional woman climbing into her car while using a smart phone and texting while driving. She looks up too late to stop herself from slamming into the car in front of her.A second, Web ad shows a man texting a friend who is “bored,” only to look up to see a tractor-trailer plowing into the front end of his car.