New Zealand Ad Uses Awkward Human Contact to Deter Drivers from Using the Phone

The idea is simple: most people say using the phone while driving is bad, but given half a chance, they'll do it themselves, no questions asked. That's partly because we trust our ability to discern between a potentially dangerous situation and one when it's OK to do it more than that of others. But it's also due to the fact that we're all just a bunch of hypocrites that have to check that last Facebook update this instant.

Still, there are some occasions when the use of mobile phones requires a second thought from the perpetrator. People are less likely to pull out their smartphones while in church, at the movies or out on a first date, because they realize that's largely socially unacceptable.

But doing it while driving? Strangely, with some exceptions, nobody seems to mind that much. However, distractions at the wheel are one of the major causes of fatal accidents, and our permanently connected phones provide an incessant source of distractions. So the NZTA (New Zealand Transport Agency) decided to launch a campaign.

According to their own explanations, the idea of the 45-second clip is that drivers need to be told that their habit of checking the phone while at the wheel is unacceptable. But watch the clip below and I swear you'll come off with something completely different. You'll understand that a bunch of young people take advantage of the driver's predictable hand movement to let the cat out of the bag regarding their previously hidden feelings for the man or woman at the wheel. All helped by Lionel Richie's song "Hello," but in a different rendition. Here, have a look for yourself: