A new angle on promoting safe driving?

6 Jan 2003

Drinking and driving campaigns are all the same, telling us not to do this, not to do that. We just look at them and say, "it will never happen to me" or "naaa, I am an excellent driver", and when we spot a cop while driving under the influence we keep our distance because of our fear of being caught, not because of the fear of being killed.

Government needs to question whether their campaigns are working or not. The last time I checked they weren't. On future campaigns they should look at the two factors, speed and life, from a different angle.

With speed, they should focus more on slowing down while driving under the influence. TV spots could illustrate the responses of sudden unexpected scenario's while driving drunk and how travelling slow could save your life and your friends. You're not going to change people from drinking and driving so at least try to get them to slow down.

With life, they could focus on how valuable one person is in our world. A sequence of events, a story of how one person "removed" could effect something in their life or yours, aiming for an emotional response.

Talking about speed as well - "Speed kills" isn't the best pay-off line. Accidents happen even while not speeding. It's what you do while driving at a speed that can cause accidents. I'm proof that you can get you pretty close to death's invitation list while travelling below the speed limit. I wrote off my car travelling 60km/h around a 80km/h corner because of weather conditions and gravel. You don't have to travel 120 to flip over the barrier, roll your car twice and slide to a stop.

A project that could be done with "Arrive Alive" and SAB is to have the two come together for a weekend of drinking and driving. Now I know you are probably frowning and wondering how could one even think of condoning drinking and driving, but listen to this. For a weekend visitors can come (in a bus) to a driving ground where they can drink as much beer as they usually have when out on the city. Before they drink they get to take a spin around the grounds, then they have a second spin when they have had their drinks. Only then will the public learn about the effects firsthand of a situation getting out of control - and what it feels like.
However they must remember to drop off the participants by bus as well or else the whole project would look a bit stupid, wouldn't it? Believe me, it's possible. Remember the free condoms campaign with the staples through them onto the pamphlets? Some people really have no brains.

I don't agree with drinking and driving but if you ever are in that situation, just remember to drive slowly... you might just live longer to drink and shag another day.