Durban - Instead of hinging their festive road safety campaign on messages of “doom and gloom”, the Road Accident Fund (RAF) is encouraging the public to use social media to share “life stories”.
Road users are asked to attach the #MyRoadYourRoad to social media posts, or use the RAF’s Twitter handle @RAF_SA when sharing their highs and lows in life.
It was common for gruesome images from accidents to be at the heart of campaigns, aimed at getting motorists to obey the rules of the road. “Now, the RAF is raising road safety awareness through storytelling.
“Whether it’s a recent promotion, the excitement of an impending wedding, managing to write exams in the midst of campus turmoil, disappointment at not getting a bonus again this year, or the anxiety of a possible retrenchment, everyone will have a story to tell when families and friends reunite.”
Those are the types of stories the RAF wants shared, said the organisation’s chief executive, Eugene Watson.
Watson said people would travel varying distances but safe travels was imperative.
“The common thread is that everyone’s life matters, particularly at this time of year when we have stories to tell,” he urged.
“Family news, exam results, job woes - our roads carry many stories, let’s make sure they end well.”Watson said that while their latest campaign was “unique”, the RAF continues to uphold its mandate of promoting road safety awareness, educating motorists about defensive driving skills and compensating and rehabilitating accident victims.
Phumi Dhlomo, the RAF’s chief marketing officer, said the organisation’s latest campaign was aimed at appealing to people’s emotions.
“All we ask is that people keep their senses and get home, or wherever they’re travelling to, in one piece so they can recap all the highs and lows of 2016, before entering the New Year,” Dhlomo said.
The RAF has used radio adverts, videos on YouTube and other social media sites to promote their latest
campaign.
Road safety campaigns would also be taken to shopping malls, taxi ranks, and also driven by traffic officials, Dhlomo promised.
For people who were victims of accidents and needed to lodge their respective claims with the fund, Dhlomo said the RAF call centre could be reached on 086 023 5523.