Everyone can agree that any deaths that stem from distracted driving are tragic, but 3,328 in a single year? That’s just staggering. In light of these shocking numbers, the U.S. Department of Transportation is doing something they’ve never done before–run a national ad campaign about distracted driving, and most specifically, texting while driving.

Starting today and running for a week, the DOT will air TV, radio, and web advertisements all bearing the message: U Drive, U, Text, U Pay.

Ok, maybe the slogan is a little tired. But holy hell, this is a jarring ad (the first one they’ll air):

“This campaign puts distracted driving on par with our efforts to fight drunk driving or to encourage seatbelt use,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Secretary Foxx. “Across the country, we’re putting distracted drivers on notice: If you’re caught texting while driving, the message you receive won’t be from your cell phone, but from law enforcement – U Drive. U Text. U Pay.”

The campaign is costing the DOT $8.5 million, and coincides with a “national distracted driving high-visibility enforcement crackdown,” which is taking place later this week.

NHTSA data suggests that advertising plus enforcement has had a positive effect on texting and driving in some states.

Image via Thinkstock