Two new films have been launched in Northern Ireland in a bid to address the problem of driver distraction.
Launched last Friday (11 March) by Mark H Durkan, Northern Ireland’s environment secretary, the films are targeted at young drivers to tackle what the Department of the Environment describes as ‘the main cause of fatalities’ on Northern Ireland’s roads.
Mr Durkan pointed to statistics which show that over the last five years, 116 people have lost their lives on Northern Ireland’s roads due to driver carelessness. This equates to nearly 40% of the total number of road deaths (298) in the period 2010 to 2014.
The first film (top), ‘Friends’, is a TV ad which targets young drivers carrying young passengers. It uses sports scenes to illustrate how someone can miss a goal or a putt when distracted and then highlights the fatal consequences of a driver being distracted.
The second advert (below), ‘Missing’, will go out on social media and highlights what can happen in two seconds when a driver looks at an incoming text message on their mobile phone.
Launching the films, Mark Durkan said: “Distraction is our key focus in these adverts given the high number of people who have lost their lives due to distraction.
“Young passengers and young drivers are a lethal combination. Young drivers are particularly susceptible to distraction, especially when driving with other young people in the car. What we are clearly saying here is that the car is not a mobile living room.
“Young drivers often don’t have the confidence to challenge horseplay and succumb to group peer pressure so that they don’t spoil the fun. My message to them is: have the confidence to say ‘wise up’. Your car, your rules.
“Passengers, on the other hand, are often unaware that their behaviour puts their driver, who is their friend, at risk. They seem oblivious to their role and responsibilities as road users, mistakenly shifting all the responsibility onto the driver. My message is clear: don’t distract the driver. Distraction kills.”
John and Pat – I will pass on your contact details to Lynda @ DOENI.
Nick Rawlings, editor, Road Safety News
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Lynda
Can you post some contact details? Would love to have access to these!
John Scruby – Rotherham
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Pat from Wales:
DOENI is always open to the possibility of our campaigns being used outside of Northern Ireland. It is possible in many of the campaigns to have new voiceovers making the ad more in keeping with the area/country the ad is being shown. Regrettably due to audit requirements this would involve a cost, although the cost would be considerably less expensive than making your own campaign. Conversely, if a campaign is to be used for training or education only and does not involve any type of airtime this can be agreed at nil cost.
Lynda Hurley, Belfast
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I agree that this is one short road safety film that should get national distribution on TV and cinema and all over the place. In towns at 30 mph drivers are unaware that they travel about 30 mtrs in two seconds and on country roads at 60 mph that increases to 60mtrs. When you consider that some drivers may give the thinking distance only its understandable that giving safer space will save lives.
R.Craven Blackpool
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Great ads. DOENI, it would be brilliant if you could please permit these to also be used in the rest of the UK.
Pat, Wales
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Both ads are excellent. The first shows how it doesn’t have to be someone else doing something unexpected and sudden in front of you whilst you are distracted – taking your eyes of the road for even a couple of seconds can be enough time for your own vehicle to brush the kerb or verge enough to cause you to lose control.
Both ads should be compulsive viewing for TV programme makers so we can put an end to presenters talking sideways to us whilst driving.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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