While the problem of texting while driving is much more int he mainstream in the US, it is interesting to look at how the problem has been addressed by the state governments here in Australia. The campaigns by the various road safety organisations is very revealing.
Victoria’s TAC have taken the conventional approach, resorting to (as most road safety campaigns do) scare tactics that show your careless and seemingly insignificant behaviour on the roads can affect many lives forever more.
In stark contrast to this is the campaign by the NSW RMS, that takes a much more lighthearted approach to the problem, attempting to use viral media – with a series of videos only featuring on YouTube and a series of adverts on the back of taxis and on buses with the slogan “Get Your Hand Off It”.
Research has shown scare tactics to be affective at awareness but more ineffective in creating any kind of behavioral change. While the NSW campaign may be seen as somewhat facetious, it is clearly targeting those whom road safety authorities feel is responsible for the distracted driving “epidemic” – young people. While i think the NSW attempt is a refreshing change to the scare campaigns of most road safety, it could be much better. It seems anytime a govermental organisations tries to be viral it becomes anything but.
Text n Drive Tips 