THINK! has actively promoted the 'Don't drug drive' messages since 2003. The drug drive activity has centred around a Christmas and a summer campaign.
Summer:
The summer campaign focuses on music festivals which offer us a good opportunity to engage with large numbers of our primary 17-35 year-old target audience.
For the fifth year running THINK! advertised at the V 2007 festival. We also attended Glastonbury 2007.
Advertising included promoting the 'Don't do drugs and drive' message in the car parks and at the entrances to the festival sites.
Christmas:
An enhanced Christmas campaign has been developed to reinforce the messages from the summer campaign.
The main message being promoted, building on the approach that worked well during the summer, is:
'Drugs make you do stupid things.
Make sure driving's not one of them.
Don't drug drive. THINK!'
The Christmas drug driving campaign is planned carefully and specifically aimed to raise awareness of the dangers of drug driving among clubbers (primarily males aged 17-34 years) during the Christmas and New Year period.
The media campaign is planned to ensure the advertising is placed on media channels and in areas popular with young male clubbers and uses online, print and ambient advertising:
- Club ambient advertising - throughout December.
- Music and clubbing publications - throughout December.
- Online advertising on clubbing and social networking websites - throughout December.
Driving under the influence of drugs - whether prescribed medication or illegal substances - is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol. It's also against the law.
Drugs can affect your mind and body in a variety of ways that mean you aren't able to drive safely. Not only that, the effects can last for hours or even days.
The police can carry out roadside tests of impairment to help them decide whether to arrest you if they think you are unfit to drive through drugs. Their code of practice for testing for impairment is at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
The penalties are the same as for drink driving. You face a minimum one year driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000, and six months jail.
A website - www.dft.gov.uk/think/dontdrugdrive/ - has been set up to give 17-35 year olds information on how different drugs can impair their driving.
- Slower reaction times
- Poor concentration
- Sleepiness/fatigue
- Confused thinking
- Distorted perception
- Over confidence, so you take unnecessary risks
- Impaired co-ordination
- Erratic behaviour
- Nausea
- Hallucinations
- Blurred vision/enlarged pupils
- Aggression
- Panic attacks and paranoia
- Tremors
- Dizziness
- Cramps
|
