Filming of SAPOL’s newest road safety advertising campaign is underway in an effort to curb the number of lives lost on the state’s regional and rural roads.
Taking place in Callington over three days this week, the campaign is being shot using careful reconstruction of road crashes caused by the five biggest causes of road deaths.
In consultation with SAPOL’s Major Crash Investigation Unit, six ads will be filmed depicting the catastrophic impact on vehicles and their occupants when collisions happen involving excessive speed, driver distraction, failure to wear a seatbelt, drink and drug driving and driver fatigue.
Impacts that Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott says have far reaching consequences for communities.
“This campaign has been carefully crafted after extensive research into the attitudes and behaviours of drivers on regional roads, particularly those who live and work in regional areas,” AC Parrott said.
“While only 30% of South Australia’s population lives in regional or rural areas, an alarming 70% of deaths happen on regional roads.
“These ads will demonstrate the devastating effects of the Fatal Five when driving in regional and rural areas and urge drivers to make life saving decisions on the road, whether they’re a local or a visitor.”
Research conducted by SAPOL’s Media Road Safety Unit found that regional people believe it is predominantly city people who die on regional roads.
But AC Parrot says the statistics show otherwise.
“Nearly half of the people who have died on regional roads this year have resided 20km or less from where the collision occurred,” AC Parrott said.
Road Safety Minister Vincent Tarzia said SAPOL’s newest road safety campaign is a crucial initiative to save regional lives.
“Country people lose their lives on country roads – it’s not a myth and we urgently need to have this conversation with regional South Australians,” Minister Tarzia said.
“Driving close to home does not guarantee your safety in the regions and it’s not enough to know the road like the back of your hand.”
The campaign will go to market in mid-October across TV, billboards, regional press, digital platforms and in regional venues such as pubs and road houses.
