TAC pins road safety message on Pinterest

19 Oct 2012

MEDIA RELEASE: 19 October 2012

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has added Australia’s fastest growing social network to its innovative campaigns.

The TAC is using Pinterest to support the road safety message of its latest campaign, which reminds people that "Slowing Down won’t kill you".

Statistics reveal that male drivers aged 21-26 are 50 per cent more likely to be involved in a car crash due to speeding.

With research showing that women can be a positive influence on male driving behaviour, the TAC will use Pinterest to capture the attention of mums, daughters, sisters and girlfriends of speeding drivers.

The TAC's Chief Executive Officer Janet Dore said the campaign was a chance to experiment with this growing social media platform.

"Females make up over 80% of Pinterest users and the TAC wants to spread the road safety message to this influential group online," Ms Dore said.

The TAC's Pinterest boards will provide sentimental pictures, illustrating different ways to pay tribute to loved ones who die in car crashes.

The boards include ideas to consider when planning funeral tributes, such as images of flower arrangements, coffins, hearses and even eulogy inspiration.

The final board presents us with the message, "I'd hate to plan your funeral. Slowing down won't kill you."

Users will be encouraged to help spread the road safety message, by repinning any images using the #slowdown hashtag.

The Pinterest initiative will run concurrently with the Pictures of You campaign, an emotive advertisement where real families who have lost a loved one due to speeding, remind the public of the important role enforcement plays in getting drivers to slow down.

The Pictures of You campaign can be viewed here and the TAC's Pinterest boards can be found at http://pinterest.com/planafuneral/.