Nissan Red Thumb Initiative
In accordance with the appeal of Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, Matt Castrucci Nissan is encouraging drivers to take part in the Nissan Red Thumb initiative. As the three-time Grammy winning artist explains, how you go about participating is not the most significant thrust of Nissan’s latest safety campaign. Drivers are simply encouraged to engage creatively with other motorists across the country in a pledge to leave mobile phones alone while buckled in behind the wheel.
In the video clip, Levine articulates a clear objective for the Nissan Red Thumb initiative—putting an end to phone-related fatalities that affect thousands of families year after year. Texting alone accounts for 1.6 million auto accidents on a yearly basis, claiming 11 teen lives per day in the process. It’s not just texting that is putting drivers at increased risk, however.
While research shows that simultaneous texting and driving increases the chance of accident by 23 percent, other phone-related activities also register on the scale. Dialing a number increases chance of accident by 2.8 percent, and simply reaching for your mobile device advances the odds by 1.4 percent. Of course, all these activities turn a driver’s attention away from the road—a lapse of which which many are likely to underestimate the significance and weight. According to the same research referenced above, the average time drivers spend reading or sending text messages is five seconds. That’s enough time to cover the distance of a football field without your eyes on the road, lane markers, other drivers, etc.
Once again, drivers in Dayton and all across the country are encouraged to participate creatively in the Nissan Red Thumb initiative. Social users can even share their method on various platforms by using #RedThumb. Along with Adam Levine, here’s to keeping roads safe and families intact—one trip and one disciplined decision at a time.
