Hearse hits highways on anti-texting mission

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This article was published 20/05/2017 (2503 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dying to send a reply? Stay alive. Don’t text and drive.

Still texting and driving? C U Soon!

These are the stark messages displayed on the sides and rear of a white hearse driving along Steinbach and area highways.

ADRIANA MINGO | THE CARILLON
Dave Redl stands with The Last Responder Project hearse.
ADRIANA MINGO | THE CARILLON Dave Redl stands with The Last Responder Project hearse.

The hearse isn’t part of a funeral procession and it’s not being driven to a cemetery. Instead, Steinbach resident Dave Redl is at the wheel of an aggressive approach to curb texting while driving.

Redl came up with the idea the project, called The Last Responder, after he was asked if he was interested in buying a hearse.

“Honestly, it was from God,” said Redl, about the idea to pursue his project. “I bought the hearse out of random. I had a phone call asking if I wanted to buy a hearse and the price was right.”

Originally, Redl intended on cutting up the hearse and turning it into pieces for a race track.

“I went to bed one night and said, ‘Hey. Let’s do this for good instead of turning it into something for the race track,’” said Redl. That was in December. Now, six months later, Redl is hitting the road with his hearse and bringing The Last Responder Project to communities across the province.

“The reason [the project is based around] a hearse is because you automatically think of death. The hearse was designed for one thing and one thing only and that’s to haul deceased to their final resting place,” said Redl.

Redl said he plans to take the project to schools, trade shows, and community events to put on presentations and mock crashes. In fact, he will give his first presentation in Virden this weekend.

The Last Responder Project’s message is to remind people of the serious consequences of texting and driving.

“It’s an aggressive approach to anti-texting and driving. It’s probably the most unique [approach] in the world. No one has taken the approach that I have, with using the hearse,” said Redl.

“I’ve had recognition from RCMP, firefighters, STARS—they all love the idea,” he said.

Inside the hearse, Redl has a real casket which he will use at presentations for students to pledge not to text while driving.

“Students will get dip their thumb in a red ink pad and put their finger print on the casket, representing that they won’t text and drive,” said Redl.

“I took that approach because when I was in school, they had us sign a piece of paper not to drink and drive. I forgot about that a week later. If you have to physically touch a casket, that’s something that will be engraved in your mind.”

Redl also has a headstone marked with another don’t text and drive message he’ll bring with him to events

Going forward, Redl has ambitious goals for the project to get to the point where it’s nation-wide and there are chapters in every major city.

“The hearse is our mascot and it’s what we’re basing it around. I want to have one all-around North America, eventually worldwide,” said Redl. “And yes, I do see that happening.”

Redl doesn’t receive any grants for the project and is currently funding it out of pocket.

“It’s a slow start because we aren’t funded by anyone. Basically the whole project is funded by me and I have a few sponsors who are helping out. As for any government funding—there’s no such thing for me,” said Redl.

“But, if I could just change one person’s attitude towards texting and driving—the job’s done,” said Redl.

Visit The Last Responder Project on Facebook or online at www.lastresponderproject.com.

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