In the world of traffic safety, the Public Service Announcement (PSA) has become a go-to method for trying to improve driving behavior. Impaired driving, speeding, seat belts, texting, speaking up, courtesy, pedestrians; if it’s related to driving safe, there’s a PSA for it. Some of these PSAs are excellent; a few of them are stinkers. Some are heartwarming; some are brutally graphic. Every week a new PSA will show up here, along with a bit of commentary. You’re welcome to add your input too. Was it great? Terrible? Does it make you want to be a better driver? Because no matter how good or bad the production value, if it causes drivers to make positive changes, the PSA is a success.
Questionable Marketing Strategies - I feel like it’s in poor taste for a funeral home to try to drum up business like this, but they do make a point.- Donuts and Traffic Episode 4 – Speed - Four episodes; I think this series could become a real thing. In this episode I go on a field trip to determine the reality around speeding drivers.
- Donuts and Traffic Episode 3 – The Rocker - I was just about to post episode 4 when I realized that episode 3 hadn’t been properly released. Maybe there’s a reason for that. This episode is less traffic safety and more what happens when you’re in a global quarantine so you can’t get a guest (at least, a real guest) for your show.
- Thank You – An Attentive Driving Message - Across Washington fatalities from distracted driving are down. In 2019 there were 33 fewer distracted driving deaths in our state compared to 2016, the year before our new distracted driving law took effect. Drivers are paying more attention to the road, and it’s making a difference, so thank you.
Donuts and Traffic – Episode 1 - In what I hope becomes a continuing series, this is the first episode of Donuts and Traffic – a show where we eat donuts and talk about traffic. In this episode I talk with new driver Odelia Dahl about what it’s like to hit the road for her first solo trip, the ups and downs … 
Shaving and Baseball - Here’s the third of three distracted driving PSAs in partnership with the Bellingham Bells. You might think this one borders on ridiculous, but admit it, you’ve seen people do some crazy things while driving. The consequences of distraction during a game pale compared to what can happen on the road. Thanks to Jack, Troy and … - Selfies and Baseball - Here’s the second of the three distracted driving PSAs with the Bellingham Bells. In this one, third base player Troy Viola has some fun taking a selfie during a ball game. He wouldn’t really let a selfie distract him from winning a game, and he doesn’t let it distract him while driving either.
- Texting and Baseball - I got the opportunity to work with some Bellingham Bells players on some distracted driving PSAs. We had fun making them (at least I had fun; I think they did too) and the end result makes a great point – you wouldn’t let yourself get distracted in a game, so why would you let it …
- Local Motorcycle Safety PSA - This week I got to work with a couple of local motorcycle deputies from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office to put together a PSA on motorcycle safety. They have some great advice for all the riders out there.
- A Seatbelt PSA That’s So Bad It’s Almost Good - Does anyone remember The 5th Dimension? They had some big hits in the 60s and 70s (Up, Up and Away, Aquarius). By the 80s they were playing the nostalgia circuit, so maybe they needed some cash when the opportunity to do a traffic safety PSA came up. I’m guessing they’re not too proud of their …
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- DIY Distracted Driving Education - It’s not unusual when driving through a city to see a person near an intersection holding a cardboard sign. But it’s pretty unusual for that sign to have a traffic safety message. That’s exactly what I saw today. And since we’re in the midst of distracted driving emphasis patrols, with law enforcement across the state …
- Traffic Nerd Goes To The Movies – The Kominsky Method - In this episode of ‘Traffic Nerd Goes To The Movies’ we review cell phones while driving and The Kominsky Method. Take a look:
- Myths About Driving High - The holidays are traditionally a time to get together and celebrate. And if you’re celebrating with alcohol or cannabis, it’s important to have a plan to avoid driving impaired. Vivian McPeak, the director of HempFest, and Darrin Grondel, the Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, sat down together to talk about some cannabis myths …
- Hyundai’s Irresponsible Ad - This isn’t actually a PSA; it’s a criticism of a car advertisement. I didn’t want to give any attention to a car company that tacitly endorses high-risk driving behavior in their advertising, but I can’t help it; this needs to be called out. The purpose of features like lane departure notification aren’t so that you …
- Back-To-School Speed Patrols - This coming week, our local law enforcement agencies will be conducting speed patrols focusing on the routes that kids and families take to get to and from school. Here’s a PSA for the event made locally with some kids in my neighborhood:
- Scary (Not Really) Seatbelt PSA - Starting next week, extra patrols will be happening all over Washington, focusing on drivers who don’t wear their seatbelts. If that’s you, you’re in a dwindling minority. About 95 percent of Washington drivers wear a seatbelt. This PSA takes a scary/humorous approach to the importance of wearing a seatbelt.
- Distracted Driving – Interview - April is Distracted Driving Awareness month, and our local law enforcement agencies are doing their part to reduce the number of distracted drivers on our roads. I talked with Bellingham Police Traffic Sergeant Carr Lanham about how and why this emphasis patrol is so important. Here’s what he said:
- New Distracted Driving PSA – This One Is For The Moms - Here’s a distracted driving PSA with a happy mom, a cute kid, and no car crashes. How is that possible? Good decisions. At any given moment, less than one in ten people are using their phones while driving. If you’re still on the phone behind the wheel, you’re including yourself in a dying breed. (Bad …
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Travel With Care – Emily - As part of our Travel With Care traffic safety project, lots of people in our community have made commitments to being safer road users. Here’s one from Emily:- Traffic is Poetry – Turn Signals - Okay. This isn’t exactly a PSA. But I think the message will resonate with a lot of people, given how many emails I get about people failing to use their turn signals. Also, how often do you get to hear a traffic safety message in the form of a poem? Maybe you can share this …
- This Is Your Fault - I was talking with a friend and traffic safety colleague recently, and we got into the topic of fault and responsibility in crashes. It seems like we’re often willing to blame a problem with the car’s manufacturer, the road conditions, or the weather, but we have a hard time admitting that we’re the problem. It …
- Drunk You – PSA - This PSA cleverly states the obvious, but in a way we don’t always think about; recognizing that Drunk You, while possibly quite fun, isn’t the best at decision-making. Like the narrator in the PSA says, you shouldn’t trust the version of you that created the macaroni taco to make a plan to get you home …
- Shaq Wants You to Drive Like You Give a #&%@! - Does adding a celebrity to a traffic safety PSA make it better? We’ve had quite a variety of traffic safety PSAs here in the PSA smash up. Some are gory, some are sentimental, some are sad, some are funny. We’ve even posted a previous celebrity PSA with Helen Mirren (one of my favorites). Ultimately, the …
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Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parent Driving - This isn’t an actual PSA, but it probably should be. I spent the last couple of days on Western Washington University’s campus talking with students about safe driving. Many of them said they were the careful drivers in the family, and that they had to constantly remind their parents about things like leaving the phone … Continue reading "Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parent Driving"
Distracted Driving Law Explained in 4 Minutes - The Washington Traffic Safety Commission just released a new PSA that answers your questions about the new distracted driving law. Can I hold my phone? Answered. Can I eat and drive? Answered. Is drinking coffee really illegal? Answered. Have questions? Take a look.
Local Deputy Featured In Distracted Driving PSA - As part of Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s efforts to make sure every driver knows about the new distracted driving law, they’ve featured Deputy Bauman with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office in one of their PSAs. Take a look:
90% Funny, 10% Not Funny - Funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, funny, not funny. 
Famous Last Words – Smh. - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a new PSA they’ve released as part of distracted driving month. It’s good, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the target audience. I’ll admit that I didn’t get the tagline, which immediately identifies me as not being part of the millennial generation. In case you didn’t get it … 
Race Track – a Distracted Driving PSA - Distracted driving emphasis patrols are happening all over Washington right now, so this seems like a good time to release the latest traffic safety PSA from TheWiseDrive. See how a rivalry between racecar drivers turns to tactics of technology and distraction to keep the title of World’s Fastest Racecar Driver. 
Funny, Effective, Inappropriate? - Maybe these traffic safety signs push the boundaries of appropriateness a bit, but they are clever. These PSAs come from Australia, so I guess it’s more acceptable there. (Insert giant assumption here.) I have yet to see a traffic safety message locally that uses name-calling to try to change behavior. Are they effective? It’s hard … 
Watch Out In The Intersection - Today’s PSA is actually just an excerpt of a longer PSA from the city of Spokane. (Click here for the full version) This PSA is the typical local traffic safety video: footage of the local community, a pleasant narrator, an educational message, and simple production. The cheerful narrator led me to believe this would be a … 
Getting High During A Traffic Stop - Seattle PD put this PSA together after an officer encountered a man snorting cocaine during a traffic stop. Hard to believe, I know. The officer can hardly believe it either. Take a look: 
Bloody Idiots – PSA Campaign - This PSA comes from Australia, where they tend not to hold back on tragedy in their messaging. It’s part of the Bloody Idiot campaign from a few years ago, and is more tame than some of the others in the campaign (like this one). Not too long ago, I posted the “Bloody Legend” PSA; that one … 
You Won’t Get A DUI For Being High On Life - It’s the holiday season, and in the world of traffic safety that coincides with extra emphasis patrols for impaired drivers. DUI patrols are happening all across the state, so I thought I’d share one of the PSAs that we’re using right now to get out the message that DUI is not just for alcohol. Impairment … Continue reading "You Won’t Get A DUI For Being High On Life"
Local Attorney Creates Impaired Driving Radio Spot - Ziad Youssef at MyTrafficMan.net is a local attorney who focuses, as you may have guessed from his website name, on traffic law. He’s also the attorney that connected me with Rochelle, the first person featured in the Real Driving Stories series. Ziad has put out a radio spot for the holidays, and his message of … Continue reading "Local Attorney Creates Impaired Driving Radio Spot"
Real Driving Stories – Rochelle - Every year during the holidays we launch our impaired driving emphasis patrols and remind everyone of the dangers of impaired driving. Rather than hearing it from me, I thought it would be better to let someone who has experienced a DUI arrest tell her story: I want to publicly thank Rochelle for her willingness to … 
Bloody Legend - It might take a few views to understand the accent in this PSA from New Zealand. Kind of like how it takes the first few minutes of a Shakespeare play to get a handle on the old English. Or trying to follow the hillbillies in Deliverance. But the dialect is intentional; it’s meant to connect with young … 
A Distracted Driving PSA With No Cars and No Phones – And It’s Incredible - The first time I watched this PSA, I was a guest in a classroom of high school students. Part way through the video, I could feel the tone of the entire classroom shift. You’ll feel it too. By the end there were students in the class responding a lot like the students in the video. … Continue reading "A Distracted Driving PSA With No Cars and No Phones – And It’s Incredible"
Impaired Bears Photos - Maybe you’ve already seen the video slideshow of the impaired bears; now you can see the photo gallery. Just click on the picture to go to the gallery.- Bear Has a Not Good Night - This is a story of a bear that makes a not good decision, and ends up having a very not good night. This August, Washington law enforcement officers will join the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign aimed at encouraging everyone to get a safe ride, especially if alcohol, prescription or over-the-counter medicine, …
How To Get A Distracted Driving Ticket - Here’s the latest from the studios at TheWiseDrive. Law enforcement agencies across Washington recently participated in a distracted driving emphasis patrol. Watch the video and find out how easy it is to get a ticket for distracted driving.
Hello – I’d Try This - Last week’s distracted driving PSA ended tragically. This one; not so much. A friend in traffic safety passed it along (thanks Shelly) and I loved it, so here’s “Hello”. This PSA comes from New Zealand, but the message is universal. And funny. Give it a view, and then ask yourself, “Would I try this?”
If You’re Texting, You’re Not Driving - Since today kicks off the distracted driving emphasis patrols across Washington, I thought this would be a good day for a distracted driving PSA. While there is some debate over the effectiveness of graphic PSAs, I think this one does a good job of communicating the message, and here’s why:
Classroom – PSA (Not for the faint of heart) - Over in Ireland they’re willing to break your heart to convince you to drive safe. It’s hard not to get a bit choked up on this one. Definitely not one of those cheesy crash PSAs; this one has a compelling story line and solid production values. I’m not sure it needs the extra bit of … Continue reading "Classroom – PSA (Not for the faint of heart)"
Pinky - Read this before watching: In this video you’ll see some people making a gesture with their pinky fingers. For the typical Northwest Washington resident, that gesture doesn’t have much meaning. But in Australia, where this was broadcast, that’s what you do to imply that a person (a male person, to be specific) has a remarkably small, … 
Helen Mirren says impaired drivers are, well, you just have to hear her say it. - First of all, Helen Mirren is great, even in commercials. Second, I wonder if another actor without the British accent could get away with saying what she said. Finally, right on Helen; we need more voices like you (both the accent and the message). Oh, and it’s good to see an alcoholic beverage company state … Continue reading "Helen Mirren says impaired drivers are, well, you just have to hear her say it."
- What’s Your Goal? - I’m not sure if this should be called a PSA or a short documentary, but it asks some great questions on this theme: What should our goal be for traffic fatalities? You’ll probably recognize some of the backgrounds; this one comes to us from the folks at the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Instead of graphic crashes or …
(Nearly) Impossible DUI Test - In a scene from “The Man With Two Brains” Steve Martin is suspected of impaired driving. Apparently the Austrian police have incredibly difficult impaired driving tests. I’m all for thorough testing, but if I was faced with this test, I’d be going to jail. How about you? Could you do as well as Steve Martin?- Grilling High - The state of Colorado brings us a great PSA about driving high. There are a few things I want to note about this one. To start with, it’s about driving high, but at no point in the entire 30 second spot do we see any driving, or even a car. It doesn’t rely on tragedy …
Ice Cube and Kevin Hart on Seatbelts - Okay, this isn’t exactly a PSA, at least not intentionally, but when Ice Cube and Kevin Hart got into the back seat of a car, this little bit of traffic safety wisdom popped out.- Embrace Life - I chose to start the PSA Smash Up with this one, because it gets me every time. This PSA conveys a powerful message without the need for a graphic crash scene. I think it works because we can relate to the relationships. And really, the main reason to drive safe is to get home to the …
