• Road Safety Vision 2010 Communications Strategy
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0       BACKGROUND                              

2.0       PROJECT GROUP MANDATE 

3.0       OBJECTIVES 

4.0       STRATEGIES 

5.0       RECOMMENDATIONS

1.0 BACKGROUND

In a recent consultation done by Transport Canada, CCMTA provincial and territorial representatives and other road safety partners were interviewed and asked what would help in the area of communications.  The common needs identified included:

• Development of consistent messages
• Partnership and collaboration
• Generic products that can be used by any jurisdiction
• Promotion of RSV 2010

Through the Road Safety Monitor survey done by Traffic Injury Research Foundation, it was determined that less than fivepercentof Canadians were aware of RSV 2010. Canadian drivers need to know what they can do each and every day to help achieve RSV 2010.  The development of national messages offering advice about wearing seat belts, not drinking and driving, not driving when fatigued, being on the lookout at intersections and on country roads would help Canadian’s take responsibility for making Canada’s roads the safest in the world.

Jurisdictionally, the media is repeatedly being asked to promote road safety events and activities that have a slightly different focus – seat belt wearing, drinking and driving, fatigue – but all ultimately fit into RSV 2010.  It is often a struggle not only to explain what the current campaign is about and how it differs from the last one, but also just what NORP and STRID, etc., are about.  Support from the media and possible partners diminishes.

Despite jurisdictional issues that are relatively complex and sensitive, the common goal is to achieve improved road safety in Canada.  Many of the principal stakeholders are working with multiple partners, multiple issues and with limited resources.  Currently there are gaps in the interaction between the various road safety communicators within the provinces, territories and other road safety partners.

Achieving the Road Safety Vision 2010 targets has been the responsibility of different subcommittees of the Standing Committee on Road Safety Research and Policies.  The strategies developed by each of these subcommittees include programming, research, policy making and public awareness components.  In 2004 RSRP determined that a sub-committee to co-ordinate the awareness activities of the existing subcommittees would be an asset to achieving the Visions targets.

2.0 PROJECT GROUP MANDATE

• To create a national road safety communications strategy, that would be aligned with the strategic objectives of Road Safety Vision 2010 and support the achievement of the RSV targets in a timely and relevant manner;
• To enhance collaboration and develop strategic relationships with key communicators in all jurisdictions and partner organizations;
• To share and create an inventory of available materials;
• To create a national distribution network;
• To collaborate on the development of new products with consistent messages, minimizing duplication of effort and costs, keeping in mind the need for national copyright, and creating generic materials that could be shared across jurisdictions, so that Canadians can get the information that they need in a seamless fashion;
• To offer communications expertise to RSRP task forces on request.

3.0 OBJECTIVE OF A RSV 2010 COMMUNCIATIONS STRATEGY

The overall objective of the Communications strategy is to create communication messages and tools and to provide recommendations that jurisdictions, task forces and road safety stakeholders can use to achieve RSV2010 targets of:

• 40% fewer deaths and serious injuries involving unbelted motor vehicle occupants
• 40% fewer deaths and serious injuries involving drinking drivers
• 40% fewer deaths and serious injuries on rural roadways (roads where the speed limit is 80-90 km/hr)
• 20% fewer deaths and serious injuries in high-speed crashes
• 20% fewer deaths and serious injuries due to crashes at intersections
• 20% fewer deaths and serious injuries in crashes involving commercial vehicles
• 20% fewer deaths and serious injuries involving young drivers or riders (aged 16-19 years)
• 30% fewer deaths and serious injuries involving vulnerable road users (pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists)
• 20% fewer deaths and serious injuries involving high-risk drivers

Secondary objectives are:

To assist in reaching the sub-targets the general public has to become engaged in RSV 2010 and take some ownership in helping to achieve the targets.  Before the public will become engaged, they have to be made aware of RSV 2010 and why it is important to them.

Many, if not all, of the RSV 2010 target strategies have a communications component to them.  In order for these public awareness campaigns to be effective and successful, co-ordination and expertise are required.

Jurisdictionally, principal stakeholders work with a multitude of partners on many issues that address RSV 2010 sub-targets with limited resources.  Identifying available resources and filling in gaps that exist will provide for efficiency and consistency.

4.0 STRATEGIES

STRATEGY ONE

Develop an inventory of national and jurisdictional road safety resources and events to be analyzed to identify gaps and find opportunities that may provide for a more co-ordinated approach. A distribution network for materials will be identified or developed. This would involve jurisdictional stakeholders and other road safety partners. 

STRATEGY TWO

Encourage the RSRP Committee task forces and project groups to become familiar with the communications activities included in each of their strategies and encourage them to call on the expertise in the RSV Communications Project Group to help them craft and co-ordinate their safety messages and campaigns.  This will involve task force members and chairs.

STRATEGY THREE

Develop communication tools such as a tool kit, brochure, generic advertising material and web site to provide information about RSV 2010, with consistent messages on sub-targets.  This would be aimed at road safety event organizers, media, Canadian road users, task force and CCMTA members.

STRATEGY FOUR

Prepare a generic sponsorship package and associated sponsor relations plan that could be used by any task force to approach possible sponsors regarding partnerships and funding for public awareness campaigns and activities and monitor and co-ordinate the sponsorship process.  Target audience for this recommendation would be task force members, potential sponsors/partners.

STRATEGY FIVE

Consider finding third-party advocates (perhaps different in each region), or possibly a high-profile spokesperson to promote RSV 2010 nationally (along the lines of what has been done with the One Tonne Challenge).  This would be aimed at jurisdictional stakeholders, Canadian road users, media.

STRATEGY SIX

Share information, communication strategies and new communication technologies among task forces, project team members, CCMTA members and jurisdictions.

5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

• To accomplish these strategies jurisdictions will be encouraged to implement the following recommendations.
• Develop advertising campaigns and public service announcements that can be used by jurisdictions across Canada or nationally.
• Use Road Safety Vision 2010 message like “working to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world” in all communication tools.
• Implement road safety communications committees to co-ordinate activities and messages.
• Link local web sites to a national web site – www.roadsafetyvision.ca, once developed.
• Support inter-jurisdictional communication on public awareness of Road Safety Vision 2010 targets.
• Utilize regional media to bring attention to Road Safety Vision 2010 targets.
• Educate appropriate regional people on Road Safety Vision 2010 targets and road safety in general to ensure the public has easy access to accurate information.