Motorcyclists will see their names up in lights as part of a new £3.5m THINK! campaign which launches on 1 March.
The new TV adverts will show bikers with flashing neon signs attached to their bikes. The signs show the rider’s name and describe personality traits such as ‘shy retiring type’ or ‘new dad’. The voiceover asks drivers to look out for motorcyclists next time they’re out driving
The ‘Named Riders’ campaign marks a radical departure for THINK! after research showed drivers are more likely to notice motorcyclists on the roads if they personally know a biker.
The adverts put motorcyclists at the centre of the new campaign to encourage all drivers to see the person behind the helmet, and so tackle the over-representation of motorcyclists in road casualty figures – bikers account for 1% of traffic but 19% of deaths on Britain’s roads (source: Road Casualties Great Britain).
Paul Clark, road safety minister, said: "Previous adverts have warned drivers to look out for bikes in specific situations such as at T-junctions or in their blind spots, and showed the deadly consequences of failing to do so. This new campaign goes a step further by asking drivers to reconsider the way they look at bikers."
James Gibson, spokesperson for Road Safety GB, said: “In the next few weeks many riders will be bringing their motorbikes out of winter storage and taking to the road on two wheels for the first time in 2010.
“The latest road casualty figures show that in 2008 more than 6,000 motorbike riders were killed or seriously injured on our roads. We must continue to look at ways to reduce this figure – especially during the spring months when we see a steady rise in biker casualties.
“This THINK! campaign will not only raise awareness of motorbikes out on the road, but importantly reminds us that every biker has friends and a family, and should be treated with as much care and consideration as other road users.”
The new campaign includes TV, radio, cinema and online advertising. The first TV advert will air on 1 March during Coronation Street in London and during Emmerdale across the rest of Great Britain.
Another campaign, ‘Be Alive to the Road’, encourages new motorcyclists to wear protective clothing and take up further training.
Click here to view the TV advert.
Click here to listen to James Gibson’s interview about the new campaign with BBC Radio WM.
For more information contact Lauren Psyk, THINK! campaign manager.
Bob, I think North Yorkshire / 95 Alive did something similar to the missing biker last year or the year before.
I think the new DfT ads are very good, quite upbeat and a refreshing departure from crash scenes etc. Lets hope they have the desired effect.
Dave, Leeds
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Some time ago I had two ideas. 1] a poster depicting a number of motorcyclists say 4/5 with one person just outlined ie not there. The caption is a conversation between bikers. One saying where is Mike? [or Debs or Ian] and another saying he/she lost it last week got hit by a car/ lorry/ truck etc. Or took a bend to fast and lost it. Killed outright. Or something similar. The other one. 2] Picture of motorcyclist laying on road with mangled machine. car at scene with front end damaged. He was someones father, brother son, mother or daughter Someones family will miss them tonight. Something like that. I hope the new initiative will work.
Bob Craven Blackpool
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