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Don’t Stream and Drive
The #DontStreamAndDrive campaign initially began as a hashtag on twitter. Neil Dewson-Smyth - the founder
and a keen social media user - was drawn to the increasing use of live video across social media platforms. As he
began to explore live video and how it could be utilised he began to notice that some people were live streaming
video whilst driving. This is a form of mobile phone ‘use’ that perhaps doesn’t occur to us straight away, and that
many campaigns and projects haven’t addressed.
It was clear from the outset that traditional communication methods were not suited to this campaign. The
message had to get to the people within the livestreaming community and that meant taking it into social media
where the problem existed. The campaign started with Neil challenging users about their driving/livestreaming
behaviour in the hope he could get them to stop.
The message and awareness of it across social media continued to grow and, in 2016, the hashtag was
consolidated into one campaign day to specifically target this danger on our roads. The campaign runs all year
round and has reached well in excess of 60 million people on Twitter. The campaign has gained the support of
many police forces, ambulance trusts, fire and rescue services, road safety organisations and many others across
the UK and beyond.
The wider use of the mobile phone by drivers is an increasing threat. Many drivers experience self enhancement
bias and as such recognise the dangers but may well still go on to use their phone behind the wheel. The age old
belief is that these things happen to other people.
Most campaigning and road safety material around phone use by drivers focusses on calls and texts. It often
depicts the driver holding the phone. Many livestreaming drivers therefore do not associate their behaviour with
that depicted as the phone is often not hand held. They often conclude that they are safe which couldn’t be further
from the truth.
For more information visit: www.dontstreamanddrive.com or follow @SgtTCS
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