A new, State-first advertising campaign is to be launched to target the over-representation of older drivers suffering serious injuries and losing their lives on South Australia’s roads.
Assistant Police Commissioner and Officer in Charge of State Operations Service at SAPOL, Ian Parrott said people aged over 70 made up 13 per cent of the population, yet accounted for 23 per cent of lives lost and 13 per cent of serious injuries on the State’s roads.
“In the period 2015 to 2019, on average there were 23 lives lost and 94 serious injuries amongst senior road users each year,” Assistant Commissioner Parrott said.
“SAPOL’s Media Road Safety Unit has developed a mass media advertising campaign to educate older drivers and their families on how to recognise the signs of increased vulnerability and reduce the incidence of road trauma amongst the older driving cohort,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Parrott said GPs would also be targeted with the life-saving messages, encouraging them to start conversations with older patients.
“Although older drivers tend to be more cautious, exhibit less undesirable driving behaviour and are involved in fewer crashes, the crashes they are involved in often have more serious consequences,” he said.
“Older road users can be experiencing cognitive decline, reduced physical capability or responsiveness, fragility and other medical challenges, all of which compound the inherent dangers of using the road.
“We want to empower older drivers and their families to talk about reducing the risks of driving if it’s becoming more stressful, more scary and therefore, less safe.”
Assistant Commissioner Parrott said the campaign concepts were carefully developed to address the true experience of older drivers and to empower drivers to recognise the signs of increasing vulnerability.
The campaign is being aired across TV, print, radio, outdoor advertising and GP clinics until the end of March and videos can be viewed (with sound) at this PS News link.
