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THINK! unveils new teenage campaign

A new THINK! commercial targeting teenage pedestrians will go to air for the first time on 20 August.

In 2004 3,233 young people aged 11-16 were killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads. Extensive research with teenagers by DfT and Strathclyde University identified a number of key risks, including total distraction (crossing the road without looking at all), and active distraction (talking to friends while crossing).

The research also showed there are real barriers to getting road safety messages across to this age group. Teens see road safety messages as juvenile - they know it already - and they feel invulnerable. They don't take road safety seriously and are easily distracted as they travel in small groups, wrapped in their own world. They are also often on 'autopilot' when crossing the road.

The campaign will break on ITV channels on 20 August during The X Factor and will then run from 22 August-11 September in teen programming. It will also run in cinemas from 28 October for six weeks in Doom and Final Destination 3, which are expected to reach around 50 per cent of people aged 12-24.

For further information about the campaign visit the members section of this website, then click on ‘DfT communications’. The members section is password protected. LARSOA members can obtain the password from their regional representative.