Editor's Note: This article was updated June 13, 2022 to reflect new figures that are driven per week by farriers.

German filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn) has made some of the more poignant films of the last few decades. So it’s no surprise that his documentary on texting and driving is more powerful than any PSA on the subject could approach.

Why did he tackle this topic with a 35-minute movie? From The Canadian Press? "I'm not a participant of texting and driving — or texting at all — but I see there's something going on in civilization which is coming with great vehemence at us."

From One Second to the Next examines the subject through the stories of culprits, victims and families of victims whose lives have been devastated by texting drivers.

One of these victims is Utah farrier Jon Kaiserman. A car operated by a texting driver sent another car into the path of Kaiserman’s truck. Kaiserman could do nothing to avoid that car, which was obliterated by his truck, killing its driver and passenger. Kaiserman suffered knee and spinal injuries that forced him from hoof care.

When considering the danger associated with a farrier’s job, the first thought turns to the horse. Even the best-trained, most docile horse can get spooked. Something that weighs several hundred pounds is not something you want to be near when things go sour.

However, considering the average farrier drives 533 miles per week for work (source: 2020 AFJ Farrier Practices Survey), driving is a work hazard that goes unnoticed. Think about how many other drivers were encountered during those 533 miles. Consider a farrier who is distracted, thinking about a tough case, a disagreement with an owner at the previous stop or how many horses need to be shod at the next stop.

If you text and drive: Stop it. Put the phone away when you drive. Even hands-free devices mean a distracted driver. If a text or a call is that important, pull over to the side of the road and send/take it. Watch the video and see the stories of the two drivers who never thought it would be them that would cause accidents while texting and driving.

You can never be defensive enough against the other drivers you encounter. You can, however, limit being the cause of an accident by simply putting your phone away while driving.