TORONTO — Ontario's Ministry of Transportation has come up with what it's calling a low-tech "life hack" to try to stop people from texting or emailing while driving.
It's a rubber case for an iPhone 6 that encourages users to flip the device over as they get into a car so the screen is covered, preventing the driver from seeing new messages come in.
The iPhone cases, complete with the hashtag #PutDownThePhone, will be handed out for free at summer events and are featured in a new online public relations campaign designed to warn drivers about the dangers of texting behind the wheel.
It's a more light-hearted video than the current TV spots, which show a young driver who is left a quadriplegic after he checks a message on his phone and his car is rammed by a truck when he isn't looking at the road.
A longer version of the TV spot now plays in theatres showing movies rated 14+ just after the announcement to turn off cellphones during the film.
The TV, movie theatre and online spots will run throughout the summer, and the province will launch another campaign against distracted driving in the fall.
