When you're driving, keep your eyes on the road ahead. Everything else can wait.

This is the slogan for SGI's newest awareness campaign, which shows devastating consequences of driver distraction.

A cellphone lies on the ground; its cracked screen displaying increasingly frantic messages. As it rings, a police reconstructionist picks up the phone, looking somberly at the call display, before putting it carefully in a plastic bag. A few metres away, the lifeless body of the phone’s owner lies underneath a tarp next to the wreckage of a crashed, overturned vehicle.

SGI’s latest awareness campaign shows the devastating consequences of distracted driving. It depicts not only the scene of a fatal crash, but the impact on the family left behind.

"It's not easy to watch the pain of young widow faced with a life without her husband, knowing their baby daughter will grow up without her father," said Andrew Cartmell, President and CEO of SGI. "But this fictional scene is reality for many families who have lost loved ones to distracted driving."

The scenes in the commercial are based on actual experiences of Saskatchewan first responders. Quite often a phone will ping or ring at the scene of the collision, with a family member checking in on their loved one – but getting no answer. The police officer in the commercial is Cst. Patrick Foster, a real-life collision reconstructionist with the Saskatoon Police Service, who knows all too well the unwelcome task ahead: informing that family member their loved one has died, and returning the phone and the memories.

"I hope this campaign can show that a text could cost someone their life; it can and does happen, and it’s utterly senseless," Foster said.

Driver distraction and inattention was a factor in 16 deaths on Saskatchewan roads in 2019, second only to impaired driving. Distracted driving is also one of the leading causes of injuries and collisions overall on Saskatchewan roads, with 688 people injured last year.

"Thanks to increased enforcement, tougher penalties and ongoing awareness efforts, we've seen progress in reducing distracted driving casualties in Saskatchewan, but it’s still one of the most serious road safety concerns we have," said Cartmell. "When you’re driving, just drive. Keep your eyes on the road ahead. Everything else can wait."

In addition to the 60-second commercial, the campaign includes four 15-second videos that show different scenarios of people distracted by texting while driving. The message is simple: taking your eyes off the road can result in a serious and potentially deadly collision.

The province-wide awareness campaign begins Nov. 2. It will include television, online, radio, cinema and newspaper advertising. The campaign can also be viewed HERE.