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Think first then dial

Road safety campaigns

Road safety campaigns play an important role in educating the community about the dangers on our roads, in an effort to reduce serious injuries and fatalities in South Australia.

The role of communications in seeking to improve road user behaviour cannot be underestimated. Our innovative campaigns are designed to capture the attention and influence the community to create a safe road environment for all of us.

New Campaign

Motorcyclists | Back Off (30 sec TVC)

On 31 May 2023, South Australia Police launched a new road safety campaign in an attempt to reduce the number of motorcyclists who lose their lives and are seriously injured on South Australian roads.

Created to reduce speeding amongst motorcycle riders, the new campaign asks motorcyclists on thrill seeking rides to “Back Off” before their thrills turn to grief.

The overall message primarily targets 20-29 year-old male motorcycle riders who comprise the highest numbers of serious injuries between 2018 and 2022. Specifically the campaign is aimed at riders who speed for fun anywhere on SA roads, but with a particular focus on regional roads and the Adelaide Hills region, often losing control of their bike and hitting a fixed object such as a tree.

The Officer in Charge of Traffic Services Branch, Superintendent Darren Fielke said riding a motorcycle is one of the most dangerous forms of transport and there is a much higher chance of being involved in a collision. “Riders are aware of the dangers associated with riding but sadly that is not enough to stop them from making poor decisions and taking extreme risks which too often result in catastrophic outcomes,” Superintendent Fielke said.

The campaign was researched thoroughly in one-on-one interviews with motorcyclists, which helped shape the messages. “Motorcyclists we spoke to highlight the sense of freedom, their connection to the outside world and the heightened sensory experience that riding gives them.

Rather than argue with that, we embraced it to show them what the dark side of those feelings could look like.” This new campaign takes the language and phrases used by motorcyclists about why they love riding, and connects them with confronting imagery.

Riders from the market research said they found the idea extremely relatable with a clear message about motorcycle safety from an unexpected angle.

Minister for Police Joe Szakacs said: "We know through research conducting this confronting new safety campaign that motorcyclists thrive off the sense of danger."

"With the State's road toll continuing to climb this year, this new campaign will be a timely slap in the face to motorcyclists who push their limits and remind them to ride to return."

More than half of motorcycle crashes (55%) between 2018 and 2021 that resulted in a life lost or a serious injury only involved the motorcycle.  Most of these crashes (87%) were run-off-road crashes and around half occurred on a curved section of the road.

In 2022, 13 motorcyclists lost their lives, representing 18% of all lives lost on SA roads that year. 149 motorcycle riders and passengers were seriously injured, accounting for 21% of all serious injuries on our roads that year.  To provide further context, only 2.9% of all vehicle registrations were for motorcycles.

As of 29 May 2023, nine motorcyclists have lost their lives on South Australian roads, of which five were lost in metro areas, and all of which were male riders.  In addition there have been 71 serious injuries to motorcyclists, 68 males and three females, while 38 of the crashes occurred in rural areas and 36 crashes in the metropolitan area.

The new campaign will air on TV, digital channels and billboards, and will be in market until the end of June 2023.

All other video ads can be seen in the drop down menu below.

Current Campaigns

Drink Driving | Selfish Pr*ck (30 sec TVC)

Speed | Speeders Come Out of Nowhere (15 sec TVC)

Senior Drivers |  (30 sec TVC "Moderation")

Distraction |  (15 sec TVC)

More videos and ads can be found in the drop down menus below.

Other campaigns

Senior Drivers
Speed
Drink driving

Drink Driving campaign "Selfish Pri*k" drives home multiple awards

SAPOL’s ‘tell it like it is’ hard-hitting campaign targeting those who ignore the dangers of drink driving was recognised by national marketing body, the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) at their annual Awards for Marketing Excellence event on Thursday 20 October 2022.

A State finalist in the category of Social Change, marketing designed to shift attitudes or behaviours, the “Selfish Pri*k” campaign won both State and National awards.

Also picked up by SAPOL was the premier award of the night, CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR, recognising the overall best campaign across each state and category.

A SAPOL spokesperson said “addressing road trauma is an emotive and daunting task, but we are pleased that our unflinching efforts to reduce the lives lost each year are being recognised at a National level by our peers.”

The judges’ comments included;

“This is one of the most outstanding campaigns I’ve ever come across.”

“The civic leadership message was one that cut right to the punch.”

“The concept, the strategy, the simple cut-through creative and the additional benefits were bigger than this campaign. They not only achieved their goals, but they also achieved awareness of a very serious Australian culture issue”.

Drink driving post campaign research indicated that the campaign reached 81% awareness, the highest in five years.

The full campaign can be watched in the dropdown menu further down this page.

AMI Awards badge National Winner 2022

TV ads

Selfish Prick - "Excuses" (30 sec)

Selfish Prick - "Consequences" (30 sec)

Selfish Prick - "Consequences" (15 sec)

Digital ads

Selfish Prick - Horizontal (6 sec)

Selfish Prick - Vertical (6 sec)

Radio ads

Selfish Prick - Master Ad (30 sec)

Selfish Prick - Radio Ad A (15 sec)

Selfish Prick - Radio Ad B (15 sec)

Billboards

Selfish Prick - Feet

Posters

Selfish Prick - Feet

Distraction
Seatbelts
Testimonial Campaign
Regional
Drug driving
Motor cyclists
Cycling
Easter
Fatigue