Lights, Camera, Action...

The film, which carries a hard-hitting warning to those contemplating drug driving over the Christmas period, tells the story of a devastating car accident caused by driving under the influence of drugs and hopes to get young people thinking about the consequences of such actions and create discussion about this growing problem.

Recent figures show that 3 out of 5 fatal crashes take place on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and the early hours of Monday morning, with young males aged 17 to 24 accounting for 1 in 5 deaths – a poignant reminder for those thinking about taking a risk behind the wheel this Christmas.

The film begins with a group of 18 year olds clearly under the influence of drugs, leaving a club and getting into their car.  It is then that we discover they are on a film set when a director intervenes and takes them through the stages of a terrifying car accident.

The Keep Drama off the Roads viral, is a clever reminder of the dangers of drug driving and hopes to inspire storylines for the campaign’s short film competition.

Director, Nathan Camponi, said: “We hope to inspire future filmmakers by tackling a sensitive issue with creativity to produce a thought-provoking piece of work.”

It also follows in the footsteps of other controversial virals on subjects such as text-driving which drove home hot issues to young audiences through their shocking and stark content.

The film is available to view on the Keep Drama off the Roads Facebook fan page (Setanta Insurance – Keep Drama off the Roads), YouTube Channel (Setantakdotr) and Twitter (twitter.com/setantakdotr).

The viral will also be streamed on the campaign microsite www.keepdramaofftheroads.ie which also features hints and tips on making a short film, as well as important information on the influence on drugs and how they affect your driving.

Mike Matthews, Chairman and CEO, Setanta Insurance, said: “As we get closer to Christmas there is always the temptation to drive under the influence, but our viral graphically illustrates that some mistakes cannot be rectified.

“The film visually depicts the reasoning behind our Keep Drama off the Roads campaign.  The viral may be shocking, but not nearly as shocking as a real life accident caused by drug driving.”

Keep Drama off the Roads film competition will see one lucky winner scoop a €3,000 prize as well as the chance to have their filmed screened to the public.  Entrants are being asked to create a four-minute film based on the theme of drug-driving.  The closing date for entries is 31st January 2010, for more information on the competition visit www.keepdramaofftheroads.ie