Are you man enough to stay in control behind the wheel?

That’s the question posed by an off-beat and humorous new road safety campaign with a serious message for young men about the consequences of driving too fast.

Speed continues to be one of the leading factors in death and injury on New Zealand roads, contributing to 114 deaths and nearly 2,500 injuries last year, and young men (16 – 29 years) account for 59% of all speeding drivers in fatal or serious injury crashes.

The new NZTA/NZ Police campaign introduces the concept of ‘mandom’ - a place where a man is in complete control and where he can come to perfect his ‘man skills’ – stressing the need to be in full control of a ‘manly activity’ like driving, by knowing when to pull back and when to slow down.

NZTA Advertising Manager Rachel Prince said rather than point the finger at young men for driving badly, the campaign uses the ‘mandom’ concept to point out how to drive well.

“A big part of mastering any skill is knowing your own limits. This campaign stresses that part of being a great driver is knowing when to pull back to account for the things you can’t control – the road, the weather and other drivers.”

Ms Prince said the new campaign was part of a long-term, multi-agency commitment to achieve a safe road system in New Zealand which is increasingly free of death and serious injury.

“This approach refuses to accept that any road death is inevitable. We’re working to create a system where skilled, competent, alert and sober drivers travel at safe speeds in safe vehicles on safe roads that are predictable and forgiving of mistakes.”

A new television advertisement which forms the centrepiece of the new campaign goes to air tonight (November 11). Separate ‘teaser’ ads introducing the ‘mandom’ concept went to air on Sunday evening (November 7). The campaign also includes radio, print, billboard and on-line components. All the advertising will reinforce the same message: Slow Down. Stay in Mantrol.

For more information on road safety advertising or to view the new ‘mantrol’ ad on-line go to
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/advertising/road-safety/speed.html. For more on the effort to create a safe road system in New Zealand, visit www.saferjourneys.govt.nz.

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