MAC asks South Australians ‘who are you leaving behind?’ in latest campaign via KWP! Adelaide
Regional South Australia is over represented in road crashes, fatality and serious injury figures. They make up approximately 30% of our population, yet account for about 44% of the state’s road toll and 46% of serious injuries. Country road accidents and deaths mainly happen to male drivers from the regional areas. They’re not the safer drivers they commonly think, and have an extreme over confidence.
Despite being generally safe drivers when they have family and friends in the car, when regional males drive alone, they become complacent and takes more risks. In response KWP! on behalf of The Motor Accident Commission has created a fully integrated campaign to encourage these lone drivers to reflect on the lives of those they love, and think about who they’ll leave behind.
In the centrepiece film, drivers are encouraged to; think about who you’ll leave behind through visions of family and friends left behind by fatal crashes in their rear-view mirror. The campaign extends through into large format outdoor, point of sale, social content using real regional people talking about their loved ones, and three haunting radio spots with a thought provoking twist.
Minister Corey Wingard, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, said that regional road safety is having a devastating impact on SA’s communities.
Says Wingard: “MAC’s latest regional campaign, Left Behind, will target unsafe driving behaviours to help reduce the increasing rate of regional crashes and work towards zero road deaths in South Australia.
“MAC’s newest road safety campaign is based on research conducted amongst regional residents that identified that some drivers let their behaviour slip when they’re by themselves, thinking it’s okay because ‘they’re only putting themselves at risk’.”
Matthew Hanton, Road Safety communications manager at MAC said that its newest regional campaign targets the solitary behaviours of drivers while on the road.
Says Hanton: “Left Behind targets the behaviours of drivers where they may be sneaking away from the pub and driving home drunk, or speeding when alone in the car, thinking that they are not putting anyone else at risk. But the reality is, it is not just themselves they could be hurting.
“Before drivers get in the car and make bad choices, we want them to think about who they are leaving behind if something were to happen.”
Despite making up only 30 percent of the State’s population, generally 60 percent of fatal crashes are continuing to take place in regional areas, seeing an over-representation of regional South Australia in road crashes.
Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. If everyone made the simple choice to drive within speed limits, wear their seatbelts, and not drive while under the influence, we would go a long way to reducing the road toll.
Creative Director: Corey Swaffer
Copywriter: Patrick O’Reilly
Art Director: Cristina Muffatti
Director: Roh Smith
DoP: Hugh Miller
Agency Producer: Georgina Toole
Producer: Annalise Menzel
Line Producer: Anna Bardsley-Jones
Group Account Director: Tristan Glover
Sound Engineer: Scott Illingworth
Photographer: Sven Kovac
2 Comments
I know you need to get message out about safe driving but do you think about those left behind. I am a mother who was left behind thanks to a drunk driver who took my son. Every night I cringe when I see these adds. I cover my eyes and ears so I don’t have to listen it is very hard to see these commercials every night so please think of us that have been left behind.
Just listened to a Mac SA Road Safety Advertisement today / Melbourne on Fm 3RPP . Safety message related to motorists urged to look out; to take that extra glance to check and see cyclists.
I agree, as it is paramount to be mindful of cyclists sharing our roads, using bike lanes; be it it SA or any State.
This said, disappointingly, unfairly and unwisely, State Governments and Safety Campaigns are placing all focus, advise along with fault, placed on motorists.
Here in Victoria, a one and a half metre distance requirement is required of all motorists, trucks also, to keep from cyclists; the onus placed solely on a motorist! This lawful requirement is unwise , unfair and dangerous. Cars or trucks on highways with a 100 or 110 speed limit, with a single carriageway in either direction are, from this one sided, dangerous instruction, are placed in a precarious situation of continually slowing down, braking, with heavy vehicles following behind, coming a out from many cyclists not keeping to a safe distance or riding two abreast!
Or forced to move onto the other, oncoming carriageway.
Serious, fatal accidents, may very well occur.
Travelling in Geelong recently, this happened to me, when a vehicle in my direction, was forced to veer onto my side of the road, being a narrow bridge passing.
I have so often witnessed cyclists riding at dark, with no lights, front or rear while travelling on busy highways. The great ocean road is where cyclists dangerously fail to look at their safety and that if motorists; especially the grief and trauma, that will impact on others.
Cyclists too, so often, wear dark clothing or cycling attire. dark colours of grey and black and in doing so, blend into the shaded, dark environment and cannot be seen easily ir until the last second!
Motorists are being told to take measures and the onus of contact or accident, is placed on innocent, safe motorists, yet Campaigns are failing to advise cyclists, to share responsibility for their own safety and to always take wise steps, to be safe, ride safe, so as to be clearly seen by motorists.
Being considerate, not riding two abreast, when riding, with vehicles travelling behind.
Affix and also have lights operating, when riding amongst heavy traffic, in poor light or dark areas and always at night.
Changing a mindset of wearing inappropriate, dark clothing, towards wearing bright attire and reflective vests.
I would encourage Governments and those working hard, behind current Safety Campaigns, to ask Sporting Companies and Sports Clothing Manufacturers, to promote and sell safe , reflective cycling attire.
In doing so, cyclists will be educated and be so much safer, avoiding dangerous scenarios; worse, being statistics on our roads and trauma, of which sadly, effects livd ones and Emergency Service Workers too.