Looking at your Phone While Crossing the Street Could Cost Your Life: The DGT Launches "Pedestrians," its new Campaign

Mar. 26, 2026

Replying to a message, scrolling, or listening to voice messages while we walk has become an everyday habit. But when that behavior carries over to a crosswalk, it can have serious consequences. With this as a starting point, Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT), together with Ogilvy Spain, is launching “Pedestrians,” its new awareness campaign for Holy Week.

In Spain, using a mobile phone while walking has become normalized to the point of becoming a widespread habit. According to the DGT, one in three pedestrians admits to using it always or frequently while getting around the city. Making calls, reading or sending messages, listening to music or podcasts, or recording voice notes are all part of this behavior, even though 86% of users admit they pay less attention when crossing the street.

A contradiction with real consequences: in 2024, a total of 320 pedestrians died in Spain and, although not all cases were related to mobile phone use, it has become one of the leading causes of distraction, especially among younger people.

A momentary lapse that could cost it all

In this context, “Pedestrians” focuses on an accepted reality: we live constantly connected to our phones, and that habit doesn’t stop when we go out into the street, where we stay glued to the screen even in risky moments.

The audiovisual piece shows a man absorbed in his phone while he crosses a crosswalk, oblivious to the striking scenes unfolding around him. Through the flashes of paparazzi cameras, the narrative shifts to a more conceptual, dreamlike plane, where the protagonist remains detached from reality. At that point, scenes inspired by the content he consumes begin to unfold, such as a runaway bride or young people dancing viral routines. The ending reveals the consequences of that distraction when, ultimately, he is hit by a car.

Guille Fernández and Pablo Poveda, Creative Directors at Ogilvy said:

"Saying that we’re a society held hostage by a screen may sound trite, but it’s completely true. At 50 km/h, looking at your phone while crossing doesn’t expose you to a scare; it exposes you to an impact with an extremely high probability of death."

 

Not wanting to miss out on anything could mean losing everything

Thus, the initiative underscores the importance of looking up and delivers a clear warning: while we’re looking at our phones, the world—and the risks—keep passing right in front of us, and that need to stay connected is precisely what can make us lose what matters most—even our lives.

The 360-degree campaign will be distributed on television, radio, print, digital media, and social networks starting March 24 and running for two weeks