‘Wheelman’ animation wins film competition

A short animated film which warns young drivers about the dangers of texting while driving has won a competition organised by the Irish Road Safety Authority and the insurer Setanta.

The Keep Drama off the Roads competition invited ideas for a short film that specifically addresses the issue of ‘texting and driving’, while also advising young people of the wider dangers of using a mobile phone while driving.

The competition was seeking ideas from young people to help their peers feel comfortable to speak out among friends when faced with risky situations, or to not put them in the situation in the first place. The competition required the message to be portrayed in a creative and credible manner that is, above all, not preachy.

The winning film, ‘Wheelman’, was created by Rory Nestor and first screened at the 2013 Cork Film Festival (9-17 November).

The film features an animated character who evades his would-be captors with a series of ‘smart’ driving stunts – but when he receives a text and looks at his phone there’s no escaping the lorry that crashes into the side of his car.