Communication students road test safety campaigns

Jason Tozer

19 September 2006:Communication students are developing campaigns to keep their peers safer on the roads.

Advertising and marketing lecturer Amanda Burrell developed the case study project entitled 'Young, Fast and Dead' in 2004 and piloted it on a random sample of integrated communication campaigns (ICC) students. It aims to make a positive impact on how 18 to 25-year-olds drive.

The students recently presented their campaigns to classmates and Ms Burrell Photo: Kimberly Douglas

The pilot's success saw the case study set for the entire 2006 ICC cohort as well as being adopted by the University of Wollongong's 'health promotion' subject.

The case study has also been accepted for refereed publication at major conferences held by the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy and the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management this year.

Ms Burrell said the successful idea came from a simple discussion over coffee.

"I was at a conference discussing over coffee how long it took us to drive to Bateman's Bay and the wild variations in time made me realise how habitual and socially acceptable speeding is," she said.

"We all agreed that we used to speed more when we were young and I suspected that nothing had changed and some initial newspaper research found that the situation for young drivers is very grim indeed. "

Seventy-five ICC students were divided into 12 groups and given a month to each design a campaign to help reduce the road toll in the 18-25 age bracket.

With figures such as one P-plater dying on NSW roads every eight days, Tim Perry and Suzie Lankuts, part of the group who designed the 'Time For A Change' or T-FAC campaign for the case study, admitted their involvement was quite sobering.

"When you see the figures it really hammers it home how real the problem is," Mr Perry said.

"It's something that people aren't very concerned with and Australia's road toll attitude is quite blasé considering its effect on communities," Ms Lankuts said.

Ms Burrell plans to approach ACT NRMA Road Safety Trust for funding to expand the case study and hopes to meet with the Department of Transport and Regional Services to affect current and future policy.