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29 March 2024

Haunting anti-speeding ad goes viral

Published

This ad is sure to keep motorists turning and tossing on their beds tonight and many other nights.

Having said that, this is probably one of the best ads ever made on the subject of rash and reckless driving.

Ever since the ad was published on YouTube on Jaunary 5, 2014, it has received more than 2.3 million hits.

The New Zealand Transport Agency explains in a few discerning words that: "No one should pay for a mistake with their life."

The agency adds a few more words of caution to motorists worldwide: "When we drive, we share the road with others, so the speed we choose to travel at needs to leave room for any potential error."

The commercial is set in a picturesque scene and viewers can see two cars moving at high speed and about to converge at a crossing.

One car reaches the intersection, and the driver of the car can be seen checking both sides of the road for traffic. His son is sitting in the back seat. However, the driver miscalculates, and despite a car approaching at a very high speed, he decides not to wait and pulls out.

Time stops.

The drivers of both cars alight and they have a surreal conversation, which goes like this:

First Driver: "Mate, I am so sorry. I thought there was time."

Second Driver: "You just pulled out. I don't have time to stop."

First Driver: "C'mon mate. It was a simple mistake."

Second Driver: "I don't know... maybe if I was going a little bit slower."

The cars move a bit from thier positions and halt abruptly - on course for a collision.

First Driver: "Please. I've got my boy in the back."

Second driver looks at the man's son sitting in the rear seat and says: "I am going too fast... I am sorry."

The haunting conversation ends here.

As both the drivers go back to their respective cars, the speedometer on the second car shows that it's still travelling at 110kmph.

The first driver puts on his seat belt and looks back at his son in mute apology even as the second driver rams his car into him at great speed, leading to a fatal accident.

The words that appear on the screen next are: "Other people make mistakes. Slow down".

The ad has a haunting quality, which drivers will surely appreciate.