McGraw’s ‘Highway Don’t Care’ Video Takes Dramatic Turn

Tim McGraw and “Highway Don’t Care” video director Shane Drake during the Google+ hangout.

With Tim McGraw’s latest single featuring guest appearances by some of music’s hottest stars, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, there was much to be expected from the “Highway Don’t Care” music video reveal, yesterday (May 6).

Directed by Shane Drake, the dramatic video takes an unexpected twist as it raises awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.

“The first impetus of this idea came from my daughter, who is 16 years old and got her driver’s license today,” said McGraw. “We didn’t start out to turn it into a public service announcement, but as it developed and I thought about my two teenage daughters, I didn’t mind being preachy.”

The event was broadcast live around the world from Nashville’s Belcourt Theater, as the first-ever music video debut via a Google+ hangout session.

Audience members included guests from Vanderbilt’s LifeFlight team, who are featured in the video, in addition to industry, fans and students from Cookeville High School who were honored for creating awareness about the dangers of texting and driving.

Watch the 30-minute chat here; the official music video is below.

McGraw hit the road last weekend (April 2) with his Two Lanes of Freedom Tour, which is expected to run through the summer with Brantley Gilbert and Love and Theft. By the end of the tour, McGraw will have given away a customized 2013 Dodge Challenger SRT and will continue the HomeFront program, awarding mortgage-free homes to 31 veterans in need.