‘Hard-hitting’ SA Police drink driving ads backed by research, leaders say

Controversial new ads will show cops letting fly at drivers with “boundary-pushing” language. But will it send the right message?

SA Police will this month launch one of the most controversial and challenging anti-drink-driving advertising campaigns in the state’s history as they try to reach those who do not care about the damage they cause on the roads.

Officer in charge of state operations services, Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said research had shown the confronting campaign was the only way to reach irresponsible and selfish offenders, predominantly men, who regularly drank and drove because they had never faced the consequences of a crash or conviction.

The police campaign will confront head-on the attitudes of the targeted audience, and Mr Parrott said it would also “raise eyebrows, push boundaries, and take a hard-hitting approach”.

While not yet ready to reveal the exact details of the campaign, SA Police reassured the public that extensive research has been carried out on the effectiveness of the messages, and they have been approved at the highest level.

Police shooting advertisements for a hard hitting new anti-drink driving campaign. Picture: supplied.

The campaign differs from previous efforts in which rudeness was only alluded to – for example, the old rooster suggesting drink-drivers were like part of the male anatomy.

This blunt new police campaign spells out the accusations in all their glory, except on billboards, which have been modified so as not to prompt questions from curious children. Police took over road safety messaging responsibilities from the defunct Motor Accident Commission in 2019, and have been working on a replacement for the three-year-old “10-Year Hangover” campaign.

Drink-driving crash data showed:

MOST crashes occur in the evening, from 6pm, and on weekends;

TWENTY to 40-year-olds are the most detected;

IN THE past five years, 14 per cent of all fatal crashes and 8 per cent of serious injury crashes involved at least one driver or rider with a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit.

Mr Parrott said some offenders could not be reached by advertising, and would only be stopped by officers on the road, death, or serious injury.

There were also men who never drank and drove.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott. Picture: Stephen Laffer.

“Between these two extremes are occasional drink drivers, who become tempted in particular situations when their judgment has become impaired,” Mr Parrott said.

“This group represents around 70 per cent of offenders and is the group where interventions such as communications are likely to yield the greatest result.”

In December 2019, police set out to find out how to reach and change the behaviour of this 70 per cent.

They researched both what would influence driver behaviour and whether the public was put off by the campaign.

Potential offenders said it would work, and the top brass was willing to take the risk.

“Importantly, the concept made people realise how selfish they are when their drink-driving decision might impact others, and rethink their driving behaviour,” Mr Parrott said.

The campaign was filmed last week and will go to air in the middle of this year.