DRINKING-DRIVING PROPAGANDA IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: EVALUATION OF FIRST STAGE, INFORMATION CAMPAIGN

The NSW Government has provided heavy sponsorship through the Traffic Accident Research Unit of the Department of Motor Transport, of two drink-driving campaigns. The first, intended to increase public awareness, is the subject of this report. Evaluation of the second campaign, intended as a persuasive attempt at attitudinal change (the "Slob" campaign) will be the subject of a subsequent report. The first-stage, information campaign had three objectives: (1) to increase awareness of the relationship between drinking and driving and serious traffic crashes; (2) to increase awarness of the Breathalyser legislation and the penalties contained in it; and (3) to increase awareness of the amount of alcohol required to break the law. The effect of the campaign was measured by controlled before-and-after surveys. After the campaign there was a measurable increase in knowledge in the areas defined by these objectives. More people knew that alcohol is an important contributor to serious crashes. More people knew that the legal limit is 0.08%, and that penalties for failing the breathalyser include 12 months licence suspension and a period in goal, specifically six months. And more people know that six middies in an hour will bring the average man over 0.08%. With a few exceptions, the increases were uniform over the whole target audience, which was defined as the adult (17-69 years) Sydney community.

• Corporate Authors:

  New South Wales Dept of Motor Transport, Australia

  Traffic Accident Research Unit, Rothschild Avenue Roseberry
  Sydney, New South Wales 2018,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Freedman, K
  • Henderson, M
  • Wood, R
• Publication Date: 1975-6

Media Info

• Features: Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 63 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol breath tests; Blood alcohol levels; Drunk drivers; Drunk driving; Information dissemination; Publicity
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00132127
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report No. 2175
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 29 1977 12:00AM