DRIVER ERROR CAMPAIGN DEC. 2005

Focus & Objective
Statistics reveal that over 80% of all motor vehicle accidents are due to driver error. Additionally, there are generally more accidents during December than in any other month of the year. The latter may be attributed to the fact that during the festive season there is increased traffic flow, extended business hours, more partying, more out-of-town trips and more passengers per vehicle. The number of driver errors committed also increases; speeding, faulty over-taking and improper lane changes are some of the more common errors.

The campaign was designed to focus on these driver errors and decrease the number of accident fatalities for the festive season (2005) by 10 % over that which occurred in 2004. This campaign was carried out jointly by the Road Safety Unit and the National Road Safety Council.

Specific objectives of the campaign were to:
• Encourage prudence during the festive season
• Educate about causes of accidents
• Encourage drivers to prevent accidents by avoiding mistakes

Audience
The audience for this campaign was male drivers 20-41 years old Island wide. Among this group are inexperienced drivers, for some whom youthful exuberance leads to a feeling of invincibility and reluctance to accept that they can become accident victims. Additionally, the male of the species subconsciously, view the motor vehicle as an extension of their manhood. The look and handling of this machine is a boost to the ego and results in more aggressive driving and risk taking. Behaviour change can be difficult to achieve with this group.
Secondary Audience:
Certain organizations can lend support to the campaign, eg corporate entities and media houses. The involvement of media houses was necessary in the promotion of the campaign and its messages through forms of free publicity such as interviews. Corporate entities were of course necessary for financial support.

Messages
Materials were developed to deliver specific messages:-
• Most accidents are due to driver error
• Speeding, improper overtaking, drinking and driving are errors than can cause accidents
• Extra caution during the festive season can help you to avoid making mistakes and causing accidents

Activities & Schedule
Public Service Announcements
The campaign ran for approximately 7 weeks from the second-to-last week of November to the first week of January and utilized mainly the electronic media and some print. Advertisements previously produced by the National Road Safety Council were modified to be used on radio and one produced by the Jamaica Insurance association was modified for television.

Media Interviews
Interviews were facilitated by the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) providing an avenue for a kind of a ‘launch’ and the Director of the Road Safety Unit discussed the details; purpose, components and background, of the campaign as well as other pertinent issues having to do with road safety during the festive season. Following that the campaign was the subject of feature stories on J.I.S television and radio.