Road safety campaign hits hoons' manhood
RTA campaign gives hoon drivers the 'pinkie'The RTA has launched a new $1.9 million road safety campaign which is short on shock tactics but instead takes aim at the ego of hoon drivers.
The "Speeding - No One Thinks Big of You" campaigns airs from Sunday night with advertisements on television and in cinemas, on buses and bus shelters.
RTA spokesman John Whelan said after repeated road safety campaigns focused on trauma and death, it was time to question the manhood of young men who deliberately speed.
"Recent research revealed that young people are increasingly hardened to shock tactic images of fatal crashes," Mr Whelan said.
He also said audience testing of the ads showed "most members of the wider community would not be offended".
The ads include images of a young woman, or hoon drivers' mates, who raise their little finger in response to a deliberate display of dangerous driving.
Mr Whelan said the well-known "pinkie" gesture suggested a lead foot might be compensation for a lack elsewhere.
"The RTA has a history of producing cutting edge advertisements ... this campaign continues the RTA's efforts to do all we can to save lives on our roads," he said.
Of all fatal crashes in NSW between 2002 and 2006, more than 30 per cent involved motorists aged 17 to 25 years.
P-plate motorists make up just seven per cent of NSW license holders, but they account for more than 40 per cent of infringements for speeding more than 45km/h over the limit.
Source: AAP 2007
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