Adverts target drivers' vanity
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Government yesterday targeted the guilt and vanity of young people in its new Christmas campaign against drink-driving .
The message, more subtle than in recent years, features a television advertisement in which an actress portrays a young woman badly scarred in an accident the year before by her drink-driving boyfriend. The woman, played by Isobel Raine, is looking into a mirror and taking off her make- up after a night out with her boyfriend. "Anyway, we're still together, although sometimes I think he's only with me because he feels guilty," she says. "Then again, I wonder if I'm only with him because I'm scared I won't get anyone else."
Under fire from critics who claim that the number of drink-related accidents have stopped falling, John Bowis, the Road Safety Minister, said yesterday they were following research in tackling the main group of offenders - young men aged 17 to 24.
Mr Bowis said that young males seemed less concerned whether they killed themselves in an accident. "The research indicates that what does affect them is the thought that they may maim or scar someone else - for example a girlfriend ... The woman featured in our campaign has the everlasting reminder of the dangers of drinking and driving."
Ms Raine, who wore make-up depicting a heavily scarred forehead and cheek, said that in a "vain" society, the prospect of facial disfigurement played heavily on young people's lives. "It brings home the point that scars are not just for Christmas - they are for life."
The concern for the Government is that despite the success of last year's award-winning campaign - featuring a brain-damaged youth who had been egged on by his mates to have "one more" - the number of drink-related road deaths appears to have levelled out. Last year, the number of deaths was 580, dramatically down from the 1985 number of 1,040, but 40 more than in 1994.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments