Volkswagen Makes iPhone Cases Out of Cars Wrecked in Texting and Driving Crashes

Texting and driving have been a reason for concern for both auto- and lawmakers ever since handheld devices got off to a flying start ten or fifteen years ago.
The quick adoption of the mobile phone and its use while behind the wheel has caused an increase in car crashes that have called for new regulations to be created.

In Sweden, a survey by the Swedish transport authority Transportstyrelsen found that 37 percent of drivers text and drive, with the number of people the ages of 18 and 30 being much higher, 56 percent.

Back in February, a new piece of legislation came into effect, banning drivers from touching the phone while the car is in motion. The new legislation had exactly zero effect on the number of crashes caused by tthis habit.

In an attempt to make Swedes aware of the dangers they are exposing themselves to, the local branch of Volkswagen decided to try a different approach.

Warning that texting and driving is 23 times more likely to get drivers involved in a crash, Volkswagen says it has created 153 phone cases made out of crumpled metal from car wrecks.

The number of cases was chosen to reflect the number of texting and driving crashes that have occurred since the implementation of the ban in February.

Called Crashed Cases, the collection is intended only for the iPhone 8 and costs around $75, in Swedish krona. The carmaker says every case is handmade and numbered.

All the money to be made from selling the cases will go to the Trafikskadefonden, the local traffic damage fund, to help rehabilitate victims of car crashes.

“Texting while driving has become the number one driving distraction for many people. Be aware of the dangers and keep your attention on the road, not on your phone,” says Volkswagen citing Motormännens Riksförbund, Sweden's largest consumer organization for motorists.