Radio station reads out texts so drivers can concentrate on the road

Brazilian radio station Metropole is broadcasting text messages, so that listeners don't have to check their phones while driving.

Texting while driving is the leading cause of fatal car crashes in Brazil. Now, Radio Message System aims to change this by offering citizens an alternative form of communication while on the move. The campaign transforms the radio broadcast into a text message reader, enabling anyone to send an important message to a companion, without requiring them to look at their smartphone.

Radio Message System was conceived by Propeg creative agency and Radio Metropole. To participate, people simply have to text their messages to the radio station’s Whatsapp number. Then, the radio hosts read the messages live on air, broadcasting the message to the recipient listening in their car.

We have seen other attempts to reduce texting while driving, such as an app that rewards drivers who don’t touch their phone, and another that alerts family and friends if they do. How else could radio broadcasts be used as an alternative to smartphone communication, so that drivers can concentrate on the road?