Nico Rosberg, Pharrell Williams and Rafael Nadal are among the celebrities and sports stars who feature in a new campaign launched recently by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the advertising giant JCDecaux.
The #3500LIVES campaign is described by the FIA as the ‘first worldwide outdoor road safety advertising campaign’. The campaign highlights the number of people who die each day in ‘preventable road traffic crashes’ across the globe, and calls for political commitment to create safer infrastructure and vehicles.
The 13 celebrities who appear in the campaign deliver messages on drink driving, speed, distracted driving and the importance of wearing seat belts and motorcycle helmets.
The launch event included video messages in support of the campaign from His Holiness Pope Francis and Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee.
The FIA says the campaign ‘unites a roster of major celebrities from sports and arts with political and religious leaders in a call for political commitment and a properly resourced UN Fund for Road Safety’.
Translated in 30 languages, the campaign is live in 30 cities worldwide, including London, and will be rolled out in more than 70 countries by the end of 2017. In the launch phase, JCDecaux estimates that the campaign will be seen 1bn times.
The campaign also features Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, who said: “There is no excuse for inaction because we know how to make our roads safer.
“We need better infrastructure, safer vehicles and better drivers. I call for road safety to become a top priority of political agendas.”
Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, chair of the FIA Foundation, said: “We have worked hard and successfully to include road safety as an international policy priority in the Sustainable Development Goals.
“But now there is an urgent need to build widespread political support and public awareness if we are to turn these ambitions into real action.
“This #3500LIVES campaign is a vital step forward, raising the visibility of this issue and engaging the public in the call for government action and funding to build safe systems and implement life-saving legislation.”
There is also a strong emphasis on personal responsibility, with members of the public encouraged to visit the campaign website and ‘Sign Up, Stay Safe, Save Lives’.
Jean Todt, FIA president, said: “I encourage everyone to promote and share the campaign’s key messages and sign our manifesto for government action. Too many people lose their life unnecessarily in road crashes daily.”
FOOTNOTE: The full list of #3500LIVES ambassadors is: Fernando Alonso, Yohan Blake, Haile Gebreselassie, Antoine Griezmann, Anne Hidalgo, Vanessa Low, Marc Marquez, Felipe Massa, Rafael Nadal, Nico Rosberg, Wayde van Niekerk, Michelle Yeoh and Pharrell Williams.
I’m surprised that no-one has made a rear window sticker yet. In the same way as the Think Bike campaign; something to the effect of “Put it down..” or “stop looking at your text and start looking at the road”, or even “If you use your phone, I’ll report your registration number”.
Deb Green. Nottingham
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Nice to see Yohan Blake’s contribution and picture.
Rod King, 20’s Plenty for Us
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The other day I saw this in the publication for the sale purposes of a Skoda Fabia and I am sure that this message or a similar one is repeated in many such pamphlets.
It says “When you connect your compatible phone via Bluetooth, when it is safe to do so you can read, write and send texts using the large 6.5″ colour LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels and multitouch gestures”.
Now isn’t that good to know that one decides when it is safe to use such equipment. Its no wonder there are accidents no doubt caused by such poor advice.
Surely there should be some note or advice that it is not to be used whilst the vehicle is being driven or in motion on the road as it could cause an accident and may render the user guilty of a moving traffic offence. 6 points and a fine of £200.
Bob Craven Lancs
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