Road Safety Authority launches campaign as road deaths for the year so far go past 100
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The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of dangerous behaviours on the roads as the number of deaths reached 102 — 15 more than for the same period last year.
The audio campaign tackles speeding, drink-driving, distracted driving, not wearing seatbelts and drug-driving, and will run on radio, podcasts and other digital channels until the end of August.
The ads were developed using feedback from in-depth research and focus groups which took place earlier this year, and they have been specifically designed around insights from younger men who drive on rural roads.
The ads will run around the clock, but they will appear more between midnight and 6am, which data shows has become a period of increased risk on our roads over the last 18 months.
Minister of state at the department of transport, James Lawless, said the campaign complements the important measures introduced earlier this year by the Road Traffic Act 2024 which included harsher penalties, safer speed limits and mandatory roadside drug testing for drivers involved in serious collisions.
“I am pleased that the drug testing provisions were commenced in time for the June bank holiday and know that work is ongoing to ensure the other important provisions are commenced this year," he said.
The two drink-driving adverts feature an autopsy report which concludes that the cause of death was drink-driving.
One of the speeding adverts compares speeding with a serial killer while the other tackles people who drive too fast because they “know the road”.
The final advert encourages passengers to “belt-up”, using a conversation between a mother and son.
“One in 10 drivers have reported driving after drinking alcohol in 2023,” RSA chief executive, Sam Waide, said.
“Our surveys have also indicated higher levels of social acceptability of drink-driving in recent years, and that one in four drivers believe it is acceptable to drive short distances after having a drink.
“In addition, our analysis of coronial data found that 37% of driver fatalities for 2015-2019 with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol.”
The RSA is also running “an impactful road safety intervention” at Dublin Airport, reminding tourists to drive on the left and to put their mobile phone away when driving.