Young Queenslanders take reins of road safety campaign

A new online social media road safety campaign designed by young people targeting young drivers will be launched today, with the catchphrase “Settle Down, Stallion!”

Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said the “Settle down Stallion” campaign used humour as a means to best connect with our most vulnerable road user group.

“Young drivers continue to be over-represented as victims of road trauma in Queensland,” Mr Bailey said.

“Last year, there were 53 fatalities on our roads as a result of crashes involving young drivers, aged 16 to 24 years.

“It’s confronting to realise young drivers only make up 14 per cent of all licence holders – but account for 34.8 per cent of all people killed or hospitalised in road crashes.”

Mr Bailey said the Settle Down Stallion theme originated at last year’s Co-Lab Youth Innovation Challenge, where teams of young people were set the task of coming up with a fresh concept to engage with young drivers about road safety.

“The winning team, comprising Mitchell Leikvold, Nicholas Sutherland, Jackson Herz, Shelley Walker and Kiarah Kelly, came up with the idea of Settle Down Stallion which was judged a winner by a panel of road safety experts,” Mr Bailey said.

“As part of its win, the team had an opportunity to develop the concept into an online social media campaign.

“The end result is a short, humorous online ad targeting young men, which stigmatises unsafe driving and speeding.

“I’m really confident this campaign will encourage young drivers, and young men in particular, to think about their actions when they get behind the wheel.

“Settle down Stallion will go online today to coincide with school and university holidays.”

A ‘Behind the Scenes’ video has also been produced to inform stakeholders about the CO-LAB Youth Innovation Challenge and how the campaign was developed with the support of the government.

To view the videos, including a behind-the-scenes look at how the ad was made, go to www.jointhedrive.qld.gov.au or follow Join the Drive on Facebook www.facebook.com/JoinTheDrive

ENDS

Media Contacts:        Anna Jabour 0429 890 942