
Talking on the phone while driving leads to over 8 deaths and 1,161 injuries every single day in the United States alone (Distracted Driving). Bangladore Traffic Police’s explicit, shocking images labeled with the simple five-word catch phrase, “Don’t talk while she drives” are frightening drivers in hopes of decreasing the use of cellular devices in the car (Macleod). The images display normal people talking on the phone with their significant other, who is driving at the time. They capture the exact moment during which the simple conversation leads to a serious accident. The face of the person in the picture reflects the face of the one who has just wrecked; a face of pure terror, shock, and uncertainty. In each of these three pictures, blood is spewing rapidly from the phone, causing a sense of scare. The illustrator’s use of blood and strong facial expressions immediately catches the audience’s attention and draws them to that single detail. Petrifying gruesome graphics, dark grey monochromatic themes, and terrified facial expressions are techniques used by Bangladore Traffic Police to scare drivers out of talking on the phone while driving before it causes them a severe injury- or even death. 

The color scheme in these images is the first element in particular that catches the viewer off guard. Almost every single object in these pictures is either black, grey, or white, except for the blood. It is a proven fact that bright, primary colors, such as red in this case, are the first colors for viewers to notice, which is true for this image especially since the blood is the only colored object on the page. This singling out of the blood is a technique which is used to emphasize and enforce the severity of the accident that can be caused by talking on the phone while driving. Also, due to the fact that we live in a world today that thrives off of intense, gory, and explicit detail, the blood certainly will not go unnoticed. The company who created the image is feeding off of society’s interests in order to get its point across. The only other object that is colored in the image is the catch phrase, “Don’t talk while she drives”. Having only the blood and this phrase as the only colored details, both red, creates a direct comparison between the two. It demonstrates a cause- effect relationship between talking on the phone while driving and a terrible, bloody, possibly life- taking accident. The use of the bright and bloody words and objects begins to enforce the message which teaches the importance of putting the phone down while driving. 

The facial expressions portrayed by the man in the picture are those of complete chaos and terror. He looks as if he has just been punched in the jaw and is directly reacting from the shock of the accident. His teeth are clenched tightly together and his lips are awkwardly separated by the impact. His eyes have shut suddenly; probably in order to avoid the flying glass and blood in the air, along with the hair on his head which is messy and conforming to the movement of the crash. The man’s body language looks familiar to the audience because we have witnessed fighting or other high impact situations, whether online or in person, and his body is similar to what is visualized during these events. We see how people use their bodies to flee from a situation and react from the hit. This man’s body is backing away from the phone and his hand that he is holding the phone with looks as if it has been glued in its position. He is trying to relieve himself from the shock by backing away from the phone and tilting his head slightly to the right. The fact that the man’s facial reaction to this crash are so easily relatable helps the viewer realize its seriousness. These terrible faces of pain and danger are looked at and seen as “oh that will never happen to me” or “this only happens in movies”, but the image proves that theory to be false because this could be anyone who decides to talk and drive. The image preaches the fact that no one is safe if they decide to talk while driving. 

The most impactful element in this image is its graphic features. The blood and background are terrifying, along with the setting that looks as if it is from a murder scene, which brings additional fear to the audience. The way in which the blood is being splattered so violently and messily across the man’s face catches the eye of the viewers and restrains their focus. Bangladore Traffic Police’s strategy of tying in talking and driving with numerous different startling aspects, especially blood, is bound to be successful. The world today knows how to talk the talk, but won’t walk the walk. This image is a perfect description of that statement because they will make terrible choices that could possibly ruin their life forever, like this man and his significant other, and choose to run from the consequences. They decided to talk while she was driving, yet are frightened and caught off guard while they suffer the aftermath of their poor judgment. 

Bangladore Traffic Police’s images are desperately seeking for a solution to the common issue of talking on the phone and driving. If these types of images that they create are not helping to decrease the numbers, then nothing will. The elements used in the images are so surreal and chilling. Using such tactics that are relatable for society is the best way to state the issue in a manor that will scare drivers out of conforming to the norm of talking while driving. The use of splattered and thick blood, petrified facial expressions, and monochromatic, gloomy background is a successful way to present an issue such as this one. Bangladore Traffic Police are bound to be recognized as a campaign in which fought to drastically decrease the statistics of “8” and “1,161” one image at a time. 
