Ad Council and NHTSA’s sharp focus on drug driving

The Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have released this hard-hitting new PSA, Tell That to Them, created pro bono by Standard Practice through Spark & Riot, which specifically targets young male drivers who justify their use of drugs on the road.  

The spot delivers its message with stark clarity, using a true story and harrowing visuals of a car crash involving the death of a mother and child to jolt viewers out of complacency, before those split-second distractions turn fatal.  

“Too many young men think marijuana doesn’t affect their driving ability or even makes them safer drivers,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “That couldn’t be further from the truth. Marijuana slows down a driver’s reaction time and impairs their coordination and judgement. This new PSA reminds motorists that driving high puts us all at risk and can have deadly consequences.” 

“The rationalisations we heard in research were a reminder of how easy it can be to justify dangerous choices and how important it is to challenge those assumptions,” said Steve Dolan, Partner & Creative Director at Standard Practice. “Driving under the influence is never safe, and we’re proud of our new creative because it challenges common misconceptions in an honest, relatable way.”