11 Nov 2010

New ads show speeding not a manly thing to do

10:21 am on 11 November 2010

The Transport Agency is radically changing tack when it comes to getting the message of not speeding across to young men.

Gory television commercials about accidents are being replaced with humorous ads with the message that speeding is not manly.

The Transport Agency hopes such advertisements will get through to men aged between 16 and 29, who account for 59% of all speeding drivers in fatal or serious injury crashes.

Spokesperson Andy Knackstedt says humour is central to the campaign.

"We are trying to get across in a non-threatening way the idea that driving at a speed that is too high and unsafe isn't in control and it's not manly."

Mr Knackstedt says while this campaign is completely different from anything run before, it does not mean the more blunt ads were ineffective.

The Transport Agency says the measure of whether the speeding campaign is a success is if crash statistics come down.