Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving in New Spot from the Ad Council and NHTSA

Last December, nearly one-third of all car crash fatalities involved a drunk driver, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Today, to help make roads safer during the holiday season, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) launched the 13th annual “Project Roadblock” initiative, in which local broadcast TV stations donate airtime to support NHTSA and the Ad Council’s “Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving” PSA (public service advertising) campaign.

To help the campaign’s message reach those who could benefit most, the Ad Council is conducting a special push to TV stations in the 10 states that accounted for 53% of all alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2015: Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Illinois, and South Carolina.

“We know more drunk driving crashes happen during the holiday season,” said NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind. “Last year was a record-breaking year for the Project Roadblock initiative, but we have to keep the momentum going. Our partners at the Ad Council and every station that donates even a few seconds of airtime are critical in getting this lifesaving message out. Every drunk driving death is preventable. We can’t stop until there are zero.”

For the past twelve years, local broadcast TV stations have participated in Project Roadblock by airing Buzzed Driving Prevention PSAs during the concentrated six-day period between December 26 and 31, with a special push at 10 p.m. local time on New Year’s Eve. Additionally, supporting TV stations will help reach a wide audience by sharing the campaign’s message on social media, using new graphics featuring informative statistics and holiday safe driving tips.

For Project Roadblock 2016, local television stations will have exclusive access to a new PSA titled “Back Roads,” created pro bono by Cog NYC. The new spot is designed to help individuals recognise the “warning signs” that they may have had too much to drink before driving, such as rolling down the windows for fresh air, or planning to take the back roads home. The spot ends with the tagline “Probably Okay isn’t Okay,” reminding drivers to find a safe way to get home instead of getting behind the wheel.

“People know not to drive drunk. But when they’ve just had a few drinks, they think they’re probably okay,” said Wayne Best, Creative Director, Cog NYC. “The role of this advertising is to plant the seeds of doubt, and highlight the warning signs. As a smaller independent agency, we’re especially proud to be part of this big initiative and are honoured to partner with NHTSA, TVB and the Ad Council.”

The local stations will also have access to existing English- and Spanish-language PSAs, which illustrate that getting pulled over for buzzed driving can cost around $10,000 in fines, legal fees and increased insurance rates. In many markets, these PSAs are also sponsored by local businesses, who underwrite the message to show their support for this important issue. The sponsorable PSAs include “Life’s Doors,” and “Viral Consequences,” created pro bono by the Brigham Young University Adlab and Laycock Center for Creativity & Collaboration, and “Neon Signs,” created pro bono by the New York-based advertising agency Merkley+Partners.  

“Our partners do fantastic work helping raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, but there are still far too many lives lost, especially during a time of year that should be filled with peace and togetherness,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. “With the generous support of local broadcast TV stations across the country, we can help save lives in every community.”

2015 was the most successful year to date for Project Roadblock, with a record $8.1 million in donated media, and support from over 1,000 local broadcast TV stations representing 207 of 210 designated market areas (DMAs). Since Project Roadblock kicked off in 2004, broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated nearly $50 million in media to support this effort.

Steve Lanzano, President and CEO of TVB noted, “For 12 straight years, local broadcast TV stations have demonstrated their commitment to the safety and well-being of their local communities. Through the united efforts of Project Roadblock, local broadcasters have powerfully impacted our nation by increasing awareness and reducing incidents of drunk driving.”

The new Project Roadblock PSA is being distributed to TV stations nationwide today, December 15th. Extreme Reach, the cloud technology platform for TV & Video ad workflow and Talent & Rights management, has donated support to this year’s Project Roadblock effort, including waiving their fees for delivering the PSAs to the local broadcasters. “Project Roadblock focuses on an issue that is important all year long and deserves particular attention during the busy holiday season when drivers need to be especially mindful on the roads,” said John Roland, CEO of Extreme Reach. “We’re pleased to play a part in spreading a message that can help save lives.”