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Orem police and firefighters send powerful message about distracted driving with #MannequinChallenge

Posted at 10:01 PM, Dec 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-08 11:38:27-05

WARNING: The footage below includes realistic makeup and effects to simulate the scene of a crash with serious injuries. While the images are simulated, some may still find them disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Mannequin Challenge is one of the latest trends to sweep social media, but police and firefighters in Orem are taking a more serious tone with the concept in order to spread a message that could save your life.

Participants in the challenge film themselves frozen in place, often while appearing to be amid an action-packed scene. In this example, that scene is a crash involving someone who was distracted while texting and driving.

In the video, Orem Police and Fire state that  more than 3,000 teens die nationwide each year in crashes caused by texting while driving.

“Please don’t be afraid to ask your friends to put their phone down,” a message in the video reads. “Don’t become a statistic. You are too important. Pass it on. “