Kaohsiung police's 'zombie' anti-drunk driving video goes viral

Kaohsiung police have captured public attention with a creative and viral promotional video warning against drunk driving, timed for Taiwan's Ghost Month. The short film depicts a driver taking a drag from a "poisonous smoke" – a metaphor for drugs – causing a zombie to appear in the passenger seat. This striking visual effectively links drug-impaired driving to a "zombie-like" state and the afterlife, with the tagline contrasting temporary breath-holding in movies with the permanent cessation of life from drunk driving.

The video has achieved remarkable success, attracting over 342,000 views and garnering 7,800 likes and comments on the police department's social media page. Netizens widely praised the video's creativity and impact, with many finding it highly relatable and effective in conveying its message. The police department aimed to leverage the cultural context of Ghost Month, when the gates of the underworld are believed to open, to underscore the dire consequences of impaired driving.

“

Super creative and very impactful.

Beyond the viral campaign, the statistics reveal a serious and escalating problem with drunk driving in Kaohsiung. From January to July this year, the city recorded 87 drunk driving incidents, leading to 4 fatalities and 76 injuries. This figure already surpasses the total number of deaths from drunk driving incidents in all of last year, which stood at 3 deaths from 88 incidents. The rising trend, with July alone nearing last year's total accident count, signals an urgent public safety concern.

Authorities are reportedly considering how to balance crime prevention messaging with the need to avoid alarming the public. While the creative video has proven effective in raising awareness, the underlying statistics underscore the persistent danger posed by drunk drivers on Kaohsiung's roads. The campaign serves as a stark reminder that the consequences of such actions can be permanent and devastating.

“

Movie is 'stop breathing temporarily', drunk driving is 'stop breathing permanently'.