Transport for NSW unveils emotive campaign via Enigma to save country lives on country roads

Transport for NSW has today unveiled the first comprehensive road safety education campaign via Enigma, specifically targeting people living in regional NSW.

In Queanbeyan today, the deputy premier, minister for regional NSW and member for Monaro John Barilaro said the campaign is emotive and powerful, and uses the stories of real crash victims from the bush to send a strong message – that too many country people are dying on the state’s roads.

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Says Barilaro: “This campaign is about getting the message out to country people that it’s not tourists or people from the city crashing and dying on their roads, it’s them – the locals.

“If you live in the country you are four times more likely to die in a road crash than if you live in a metropolitan area. It’s simply unacceptable.”

Barilaro said in his own electorate of Monaro, 42 lives were lost and another 198 people were seriously injured on the region’s roads last year: “It’s sobering to think the vast majority of these lives lost were local, country people who died close to home and no doubt on roads they’d driven countless times before.”

Minister for roads, maritime and freight Melinda Pavey said the campaign, which will roll out in the lead up to the busy Christmas Holiday period, would encourage country people to stop making excuses for risky behaviour on their local roads.

Says Pavey: “Last year we lost 252 people on country roads. That’s one third of our population making up two thirds of our road toll.

“We know that deaths in the country that involve someone driving too fast, having too much to drink, falling asleep behind the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt are way above the rest of the state.”

The NSW Government is also partnering with local councils, community groups and local industries to help spread this important safety message across regional NSW.

The campaign focuses on actual victims of road trauma like Croppa Creek farmer Sam Bailey, who features in one of the campaign videos.

Says Bailey: “I became a quadriplegic as a result of taking a risk and not wearing a seatbelt. I was thrown from a moving vehicle and my life has never been the same.

“Recently I lost a dear friend in a road crash on a country road – this tragedy is real and it is happening to our families and friends.

“I never thought I would end up a victim of a road crash, and I never imagined one of my friends would be killed on the road, but I am living proof that tragedy is real and it can happen to you, even if you think you are indestructible.”

The campaign was created by Enigma and directed by Noah Marshall of The Sweet Shop.

Says Rita Harding, executive director marketing and campaigns at Transport for NSW: “Enigma stood out with true insights and a unique understanding of how to affect behaviour change. They have demonstrated their ability to provide the essential skills for this campaign and we look forward to seeing the campaign roll out where it’s needed most – on country roads that have claimed so many lives.”

Says Jen Peace, managing director, Enigma: “This is more than a win for Enigma, it represents a humbling opportunity to produce strong strategic thinking and motivating communications that can meaningfully contribute to the NSW Government’s dedication to saving lives on country roads. Our brightest brains are dedicated to working closely with the team at Transport for NSW to achieve effective and emotive work.”

Says Pete Ogden, executive creative director, Enigma: “It’s not often you get to work on a campaign that can make a genuine difference in the lives of regional Australians. I am incredibly proud of this work and the effort that the team has put into it. Pardon the pun, but from the pitch to the work going live, it’s been a long road. Looking at the campaign that The Sweet Shop has delivered, I realise it’s been worth every step.”

Says Marshall: “These films aren’t about the brazen risks taken by reckless speed freaks trying to impress their mates. They’re about the common excuses we all use on a regular basis to justify risky driving behaviour. We don’t see the harm. Because we’ve done it before and everything worked out fine. Because it will inconvenience us if we don’t. We’ve assessed the danger and deemed it worth the risk… but it’s not. It never is.”

View the campaign hub.

NSW Government: Transport for NSW

Audio engineer: Mark Brandis