'Pictures of You' TAC advertising campaign launched

20 Feb 2008

Media Release - 20 February 2008

In the ongoing battle to lower Victoria’s road toll a ground-breaking new three minute advertisement featuring people who have lost family members in speed-related crashes will begin airing tonight.

Launching the new advertisement today, TAC Minister Tim Holding said he hoped the campaign would resonate with the community and inspire a positive change in driver behaviour.

“Speeding drivers are the biggest killers on Victorian roads, with speeding a factor in at least 30 per cent of all road fatalities,” Mr Holding said.

“The new TAC campaign tells the true and heartbreaking stories of 10 families, often mothers and fathers whose children were killed as a result of speeding on our roads.

“Anyone who continues to doubt that speeding causes tragedy time and time again on the road will have that view challenged when they look into these people’s eyes and see their pain.”

The TAC’s Chief Officer Community, Philip Reed, said the families had volunteered to take part in the campaign, with the hope that sharing their experiences might prevent other families from enduring the same tragedy.

“These people are not actors, but real people who have unselfishly opened very real wounds to show all of us what it’s like to live with loss every day,” Mr Reed said.

“What we all take from this is that families who have lost a loved one in road trauma never stop grieving. This campaign captures genuine and long lasting grief and will compel drivers to think twice the next time they get behind the wheel.”

Mr Holding said while the road toll had fallen since the beginning of the Arrive Alive road safety strategy from 397 in 2002 to 332 deaths in 2007, speeding continued to be a major killer on Victorian roads.

“The faster you go, the more likely you are to be involved in a crash and be seriously injured or killed,” Mr Holding said. 

In the campaign each family member is shown holding a photo of the person they have lost and the campaign carries the message, “This is why you’re photographed when you speed.”

“Speeding is a choice people make and people can just as easily make the choice to slow down and save lives,” Mr Holding said.

A three minute long version of “Pictures of You” will screen for the first time tonight on all networks at 8:27pm. The campaign will also include billboards and radio and a significant online component with the dedicated website www.picturesofyou.com.au. The website will contain further background information on a number of the families featured.