Everybody hurts campaign marks one-year anniversary

11 Feb 2011

MEDIA RELEASE: 11 February 2011

The TAC will next week be showing its powerful Everybody Hurts campaign in the lead up to the one-year anniversary of Luke Robinson's tragic death. It is part of the TAC's push to make speeding as socially unacceptable as drink driving.

The campaign was originally launched in July 2010 by the TAC with the Robinson family, less than four months after 19-year-old Luke Robinson died on Anakie Road, just outside Geelong.

It explores the pain caused by Luke's death on 28 March 2010 in an attempt to discourage other drivers from speeding. The personal stories of Luke's family, friends, emergency workers, work colleagues, survivors of the crash, eyewitnesses, and others affected by the tragedy form the basis of the campaign.

TAC Head of Community Relations, Phil Reed said that the campaign will help increase the community's awareness of the tragic ripple effect that can be caused by speeding.

"When it comes to speeding, our research shows that there is still a way to go before we reach the same levels of social unacceptability that we see with drink driving and drug driving." Mr Reed said.

"Attitude change is a long-term process so we hope that by showing the Everybody Hurts campaign, we might get closer to making speeding socially unacceptable. We also hope that the campaign provides the Robinson family with some comfort knowing that something positive has come out of Luke's tragic accident," said Mr Reed.

Since Luke's death almost a year ago, the Robinson family have become passionate road safety campaigners. They regularly share their heart-wrenching story with local sporting clubs and associations around the state.

 "Leanne, Jai and I have delivered a number of presentations since we lost Luke. As difficult as it is for us, we do it because we just don't want any other family to go through what we've gone through," said Norm Robinson.

"It's very timely for the TAC to be running the campaign in the lead up to the one year anniversary of Luke's death. We hope it goes some way to changing attitudes of drivers, particularly the young ones. "

"We would have done anything to make sure Luke didn't speed. But it's too late for us. I hope every parent sits down with their children to watch what we have been through."

TAC analysis shows that speed is implicated in 30 per cent of fatal crashes in Victoria and is the biggest killer on the state's roads. In 2010, excessive or inappropriate speed was identified as a contributing factor in 85 of the 287 deaths recorded.

The Everybody Hurts campaign will run from Monday 14 February until Sunday 20 March across all regional and metropolitan media including TV, radio, outdoor billboards and online.

When the campaign first aired in 2010, it reached an estimated audience of over 2.9 million viewers in Victoria with an 83% recall rate.

For more information, visit www.everybodyhurts.com.au

For further information please contact Amanda Bavin on 0439 567 249.