Lexus warned of the real risks of texting and driving in a recent test with real people behind the wheel of the NX SUV.
For his test, Lexus used statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), claiming that a person spends about 4.6 seconds replying to a message.
The carmaker asked individuals who admitted to texting and driving to test drive the Lexus NX SUV on a closed course. All claimed that they could do it easily without crashing. But there was a catch! Lexus equipped electrochromic windows and windshields that would make them completely opaque for precisely 4.6 seconds. Without informing the participants, Lexus kicked off the test drive.
Everything was fine, and drivers were comfortable until the windows suddenly turned clear to opaque, blocking the view outside. Drivers didn’t know what was going on and panicked, smashing through various barriers and obstacles such as styrofoam walls, bikers, and animals as well.
Alex Epstein from the National Safety Council said driving at 55 miles per hour for 4.6 seconds, a vehicle covers the length of an entire football field. This fact clearly explains why a total of 3,142 accidents were reported in the USA due to distracted driving, in 2019 alone.
Lexus’ test had a simple motive behind it: to explain the consequences of unnecessary risks we take while driving. Moreover, a car may have many smart safety features, but it still needs the driver’s attention.
Lexus Marketing’s vice president, Vinay Shahani, said, “Lexus wants to bring awareness to safety behind the wheel by changing perceptions about texting and driving. Even the most advanced safety systems on the road today can’t replace the undivided attention of the driver.”
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and Lexus has done its part by sharing an eye-opening video. Interestingly, Lexus named the specially designed vehicle the NX 4.6 and uploaded the YouTube video on April 6 (4/06).
The takeaway here? Don’t text and drive!
