RICHMOND - You wouldn't jump out of an airplane without buckling your parachute, so why would you drive a car without buckling your seat belt? That's a question posed in a new video from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
It's part of a series of four spots which compare outrageous behaviors people would never combine - such as texting in the ring during an MMA fight - with just-as-dangerous behind-the-wheel activities people undertake every day, like texting while driving.
The "Safe Driving is Something We Can All Live With" series debuted today on social media, streaming services, cable television and video-equipped gas station pumps across the Commonwealth. Produced by NDP and Tilt Creative+Production in Richmond, the videos can also be viewed on DMV's YouTube page.
Topics covered include speed, drunk driving and distracted driving prevention as well as seat belt safety.
"We wanted these videos to be funny to get people's attention, but the underlying message is very serious," said Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford, the Governor's Highway Safety Representative. "Crash deaths continue to rise on our roadways. Each of us can help change that by being a safe driver every time we get behind the wheel."
So far this year, 518 people have been killed in crashes on Virginia roadways.