Offenders to face emotional pleas from road trauma survivors

By Georgia Tacey

Nov 14, 2023

Road safety: The new campaign uses real-life stories to target offenders. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

A new road safety campaign is targeting Victorian traffic offenders.

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The ‘Dear Driver’ campaign aims to educate drivers on the real cost of risky behaviours to themselves and the community through traffic infringement letters to educate offenders through real-life stories of survivors and first responders.

The Transport Accident Commission has collaborated with the Fines and Enforcement Services, Department of Justice and Community Safety and Victoria Police to develop the campaign, focusing on offenders caught speeding, running a red light and illegally using a device while driving.

Offenders who receive an infringement notice will now find a letter written by VIC SES first responder Mark, reflecting on his first-hand experience with road trauma.

The letter ends with a QR code to direct offenders to one of three emotional video messages, depending on the infringement type, where either Mark or two other road trauma survivors share their personal stories of when the offender’s driving behaviour had impacted them.

The campaign comes as 258 people have lost their lives on Victorian roads so far this year, exceeding the total number of fatalities in 2023.

TAC chief executive Tracey Slatter said that over 7000 driving infringement notices were issued across Victoria daily, providing a unique opportunity for the campaign to communicate directly with known offenders.

“Dear Driver is a bold initiative, speaking directly to those who need our message most. Through empathy and real-life stories, we hope to ignite a change in behaviour and pave the way to safer roads,” she said.

“This campaign is a call to all drivers to reflect on their actions, change their behaviour and take an active role in driving down road trauma on Victorian roads.”

The campaign’s final step asks offenders to pledge to drive safely by signing their name and clicking a ‘commit’ button.

“Road safety is more than rules and penalties — it’s about people’s lives. By connecting with offenders on an emotional level, we hope to bring about a cultural shift towards safer decision-making on our roads,” Ms Slatter said.

By directly targeting offending drivers, the TAC aims to influence the perceptions and reinforce the real consequences of risky and illegal driving behaviours.