Hands on the wheel? Hands off your phone."

25 March 2022

Today, THINK! is launching the Guardian Mates campaign, to tackle handheld mobile phone use among young drivers.

From  25 March, t he Government has strengthened the law to make it illegal to use a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel for virtually any use, including taking photos or videos, scrolling through playlists, or playing games. An exemption allows drivers to make contactless payments while stationary at locations like drive-thrus.

The campaign launches to coincide with this change in the law and will run until May. The campaign features a series of short films and a radio ad, aiming to get drivers to confront their own behaviour by making mates present in the issue, unexpectedly appearing in the backseat of the car to intervene at the moment of temptation and stop their friend picking up the phone while driving.

Resources can be downloaded here.

THINK! has broadened its target audience for this campaign to include both young male and female drivers, as they display similar attitudes and behaviours around handheld mobile phone use.

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