Road Safety: How a short sharp burst can reduce road deaths

Faced with a dramatic upsurge in road deaths in Northern Ireland over one weekend in November 2008, this paper shows how a short, sharp communications campaign saved lives. Research had shown in the past that serious increases in reported aberrant behaviour can have the effect of normalising the dangerous, conditioning road users into a resigned fatalism about road deaths. The resultant creative strategy was to personalise the consequences and the sense of individual responsibility in changing behaviour, by confronting the public with piercing anti-festive truths and hard-hitting images in print, radio and outdoor among others. As a result, the campaign contributed to a saving of 13 lives in one month and generated a payback of £10.86 per every £1 spent