ARRIVE ALIVE Strategy Overview Festive Season November

ARRIVE ALIVE Strategy Overview & Festive Season November 2003 – January 2004

Where are we? Phase 8 of Arrive Alive Funding from the Road Accident Fund and departmental funding – giving a total of R 33 million for three months Nov 03 -Jan 04

December 2002 • 1217 fatalities occurred during December 2002 - nearly 40 people died on our roads EACH DAY. • Each death affects about 100 people more than 120, 000 people were directly affected by road deaths. Many thousands more suffer from permanent disablement, and their families suffer with them.

Summary Budget • • - Communications: R 16 M Enforcement: R 12 M Project E-force: R 1. 55 Juggernaut: R 1. 55 Contigency: Rest of the funds

December 2002 • The majority of the vehicles involved in crashes are sedans, and the causes of the collisions almost always involve speed as one of the factors. Over 50% of drivers killed have been drinking alcohol. • Just over 10% of the people killed were children, with the most "at risk" group being between the ages of 6 and 12.

PERCEPTIONS • Although the perception was created that we experienced a higher number of fatalities than in 2001, there was actually a slight reduction from the 1283 fatalities in December that year. • This was due to a media frenzy about crashes (which is not unusual at this time of the year) as well as improved reporting rates due to the operation of the Arrive Alive information centre.

Every day of every week of every month during 2001 and 2002, an average of almost 40 people died on our roads. 40 families every day dealt with loss and bereavement, and struggled to come to terms with an often unnecessary death.

We will be working ONLY in the two areas where most immediate results are possible with short term, highly focused strategies.

HEAVY, VISIBLE ENFORCEMENT backed up by ADVERTISING SHOWING CONSEQUENCES OF UNSAFE BEHAVIOUR

ENFORCEMENT • Implementing Operation Juggernaut from 9 -29 November, targeting heavy vehicles and public transport. • Using a system of interrupted patrolling and road blocks on main routes to ensure highly visible enforcement from 1 December until the middle of January 2004.

Seeing an officer positively affects behavior for up to 17 minutes. More than 90% of fatalities follow a traffic offence. We must ensure that all road users understand that they are not ACCIDENTS, they are REAL CRIMES.

Project E-FORCE will pilot The Card Verification Device (CVD) in Gauteng which will improve officer productivity and increase offence detection and follow up of summons and warrants.

Enforcement • Increase visibility: patrolling and roadblocks - dangerous routes • Testing for overloaded and unroadworthy vehciles • Increase officer effectiveness

21% reduction 24% reduction 19% reduction

Speed Camera Hours Vs % Exceeding the Enforcement Limit CLASSIC CAUSE AND EFFECT Hours of Speed Camera Usage 4, 500 14. 0% 4, 000 12. 0% 3, 500 3, 000 Camera Hours 8. 0% 2, 500 6. 0% 2, 000 4. 0% 1, 500 1, 000 10. 0% Speeding Rate 500 2. 0% 0. 0% Months between June 1990 and March 1997

Communication Objective • To introduce and communicate the importance of co-responsibility of all road users to reduce the number of crashes on our roads • Shifting from the “blood and guts” to a more emotive approach • Violent messages increase the distance between message and audience (South Africans switch off as they are living in a violent society)

PUBLIC RELATIONS • We have visited every media house in Gauteng to explain to journalists that we wish to move away from the “body count” reporting approach and emphasise the pain and suffering caused through bad behavior. • We had a breakfast for Editors on 24 November to ensure they understand the strategy.

We have had interviews on almost every radio stations and three television stations, to emphasise the need to “humanise” fatalities, and ensure people understand the consequences of unsafe behavior, and which specific behaviors lead to deaths. More interviews are planned for the Festive Season.

Advertisements will emphasise the painful consequences of unsafe behavior, showing real people who have been injured in road trauma. These are being preceded by an interview with a psychologist to explain the strategy (Disclaimer). TV, radio advertisements, MB and posters produced.

The Advertising Campaign has been designed to reach 80% of television viewers at least 12 times each, and 90% of radio listeners, at least 20 times each. The emphasis will be on SPEED and ALCOHOL.

Media Centre • Set up equipped, well branded Arrive Alive media centre (Launch 1 st of December 2003) – Hand over of 31 patrol vehicles and “lights on campaign” • Media briefings twice daily at central point • Identified and trained spokespersons to represent all vernaculars • Advertising and law enforcement to be scheduled in association with NDo. T info centre • Communicate actual law enforcement and arrests/fines

What must we do? • We are asking the public to drive 5 k. p. h. slower than their usual speed. • We are asking them to drive with their lights on to see better and to be seen, especially by pedestrians. A 1% reduction in average speed leads to a 4% reduction in fatalities. “The faster you go, the harder you hit”.

PR Campaign • Partnership with QASA at participating fuels stations: N 1 and N 3 • Partnership with Fleetwatch/Engen: 6 000 decals to be applied to heavy vehicles • Zee TV: free flighting of our ads (mid December) • SHELL/RMI: Free 10 point roadworthy /safety checks • You/Huisgenoot/Drum: focus on stories of victims portrayed on TV ad campaign • Cinema: 29 digital screens (Dec/Jan): run existing ads – strong youth slant

The Way Forward Improve levels of fine collection through AARTO to fund comprehensive road safety initiatives Ensure all aspects of The Road to Safety are implemented, including changes in legislation and regulation to support Safety.

Every person here today has a great responsibility not only as a road user, but as a Parliamentarian, and a representative of your particular constituency. We can only do this job if we work together.

Thank you for being here today. Thank you for your commitment to Road Safety. Thank you for being part of the solution.