How to plan and execute a high-impact road safety PR campaign

The UK is one of the safest countries in the world to drive in, but the sad fact remains that, on average five people die on the UK’s roads every day. 

Of course, there have been huge strides in recent years that have made it safer behind the wheel, such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). 

However, around 90 per cent of road traffic incidents are linked to human factors, rather than vehicle or technology related. 

So, there’s work still to be done to make our roads even safer, and a road safety campaign focusing on a particular cause or issue can positively alter driver attitudes and behaviours. 

We are proud to have partnered with clients to successfully deliver their campaigns, including highlighting the dangers of drug-driving, the benefits of air jackets for motorcyclists and the importance of tyre safety. 

Now, with the warmer weather and bank holidays on the horizon, there’s motorcyclists enjoying a leisurely ride, and drivers travelling for their holidays, making it a busy time on the UK’s roads. 

With this in mind, here’s our key elements to include in planning, and delivering, a high-impact road safety PR campaign. 

Define your objectives 

 The most successful road safety campaigns have a clear message, a clear set of goals, a clear target audience and a clear call to action. 

For instance, The Green Cross Code, and in particular The Green Cross Code man adverts from the 1970s, have become engrained in the national psyche of a certain generation. 

Other hard-hitting campaigns have tackled drink-driving, with one using Mungo Jerry’s hit song ‘In the Summertime’ as a haunting soundtrack, while in the 1990’s it was the thought-provoking campaign against speeding with ‘Kill Your Speed. Not a Child’. 

They are very clear in their messaging, who they are targeted at and what they want people to do or not do, all packed with an emotive punch and call to action. 

Engage with key organisations  

Having strength in numbers will add weight to the campaign. It’s a great opportunity to invite support from other interested parties, such as charities and non-profit organisations who also have a vested interest. 

This was clear with our campaign work for leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which identified a key campaign opportunity linked to granting air jackets a 0% VAT rating (in line with other personal protective equipment) making them more affordable and accessible for motorcycle riders. 

Integral to the campaign was a live virtual summit for more than 30 influential motorcycle organisations to create a nationwide coalition to promote and support the campaign.  

Such a powerful momentum was also built through supplying toolkits and resources to groups across the country to amplify the message and saw a government petition with over 11,000 signatures prompting a response from government. 

Toolkit materials are a great way to help others, such as the fire service or local road safety partnerships, to spread your messages through community outreach. Materials can include posters, social media posts and graphics and videos. 

Engage with government  

Government operates on many levels, from local connections such as a local MP, through to national representation, like ministers in Downing Street. 

These various arms provide different routes of access in order to make change happen. 

For instance, the campaign might have a purely local focus, such as reducing the speed limit near a particular school, or it could be aimed at a nationwide audience, such as raising awareness of the dangers of drug-driving. 

It’s important to recognise which level of government engagement is the most effective for your campaign, and how to reach them. 

For example, is there an existing All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) or committee you could reach out to on the issue? In addition, it may be effective to write directly to an MP or minister, or even a member of the House of Lords with a vested interest in road safety. 

Harness the power of the media 

A campaign supported with strong news generation will help build public awareness. 

This regular drumbeat of media coverage will raise public awareness through the various channels it’s aimed at, whether that’s the national print press, online news outlets, TV stations, radio stations, or industry journals. 

The power of the press should not be underestimated, as it provides third party, independent endorsement of a campaign, giving it extra weight. 

For example, Red Marlin’s campaign work highlighting the need for air jackets for motorcyclists, which had a strong news hook and simple message, achieved over 50 pieces of media coverage in print and online reaching an audience of 95.5m, as well as 20 TV and radio interviews. 

This helped boost other activity, such as engaging with MPs and a nationwide coalition, as it was regularly in the national and regional news. 

Does your road safety campaign need a voice? 

If you would like to tackle an awareness campaign that drives change, then perhaps it’s time to seek help from an experienced PR partner. 

To find out more about our campaign work, and for a no obligation chat, please get in touch.