Werner Herzog made the most affecting and effective anti-texting-and-driving film of all time

Werner Herzog might not seem like the likeliest candidate to direct a corporate-sponsored PSA, but when a subject appeals to his sense of activism, curiosity, and the need to speak out often gets the better of him. Released last week, Herzog’s 35-minute short From One Second To The Next is a part of the AT&T “It Can Wait” campaign produced by ad agency BBDO and aimed at preventing texting while driving. It’s a harrowing and extremely effective Drivers Ed film, one that should be required viewing for all drivers regardless of age or driving experience. The film is divided into four gut-wrenching vignettes of accidents caused by texting. In two the victims survived—a boy paralyzed from the diaphragm down, a woman whose motor skills are severely impaired—and two others claimed multiple lives. Herzog stays out of the film entirely, letting victims, family members, and, in a few cases, the people who caused the accidents tell the stories in excruciating and haunting detail. This is no Blood On The Pavement, but it’s an affecting and grimly honest look at the increasing danger of a proliferating trend. Watch the full film below, and put your damn phone away when you’re driving.