THINK! urges youngsters to slow down on rural roads

The Department for Transport is launching a new initiative for road safety campaign THINK!, designed to highlight the dangers of driving too fast on rural roads and encourage young drivers to question what those extra few miles per hour are really worth.

“Is pushing it worth it?” has been devised by agency VMLY&R and marks a creative step change from previous Government speeding campaigns, capturing real, authentic moments of friendship, showcasing why these should be valued more than driving at speed.

In the UK, speed kills and injures an average of 54 young people each week. Young men, in particular, can overestimate their ability to handle speed, and underestimate the risks of driving slightly too fast for the conditions or a few miles per hour over the speed limit.

Following a young driver on his way to meet his friends, the ad reflects the type of journey many young people make every day, highlighting the impact that driving even a little too fast for the road can have, while the audio campaign champions young drivers who respect the road and get there safely.

The activity will run throughout March on VOD, Social, OLV and digital audio with media planning and buying from Manning Gottlieb OMD and Wavemaker, which retained the media business last month.

Department for Transport head of marketing Dawn Lauder said: “Speeding contributes to around one in four fatal collisions on our roads, with many drivers misjudging the possible dangers – especially young drivers. This campaign highlights the potential impact of driving too fast for the road and asks our audience, who have so much of life to enjoy, whether pushing their speed is worth it.”

VMLY&R creative director Frances Cooke added: “Young drivers are an incredibly hard-to-reach audience, so we needed to connect with them through empathy and respect for what’s important in their lives. We approached their relationships with their mates and the things they do together with a sense of reverence, just as they do.”