New drink-drive ad passes one million on-line views

The 'stop a mate driving drunk' message has been driven home to more than a million people via You Tube in less than two weeks, in what may be a record for any New Zealand video clip.

The NZ Transport Agency says it is over the moon with the massive response to the latest NZTA/NZ Police drink-drive advertising campaign.

In less than two weeks since the new Legend television advertisement went to air with the ‘stop a mate driving drunk’ message, it has racked up more than one-million on-line views on YouTube, spawned Facebook fan pages and found a place in Kiwi vernacular.

NZ Transport Agency Chief Executive Geoff Dangerfield said while the overwhelmingly positive response to the new campaign was encouraging, the ultimate success would be to see young New Zealanders take up the challenge of speaking up and stopping their mates from driving drunk.

“We’ve had a wave of great feedback from across the country, but we are under no illusions about the scale and the seriousness of the drink-driving problem in New Zealand, particularly among young people. Far too many young lives are cut short and too much young potential is wasted needlessly from drink-driving in this country.

“We all have a responsibility to help stop drink-driving, but we need young people and young men in particular to know that they can speak up to stop their mates from driving drunk.”

For more information on the NZTA/Police drink-drive advertising campaign go to: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/about/advertising/drink-driving/legend.html

Drink-driving in New Zealand – the facts

Around 200 young drivers are involved in a fatal or serious injury drink-driving crash each year

Over 40% of all drink-driving crashes involve drunk drivers under the age of 24 years.

Over 80% of drinking drivers in fatal or serious injury crashes are male

The annual social cost of alcohol related crashes to New Zealand is close to $1 billion per year

The Government’s Safer Journeys strategy is targeting drink-driving as a high priority, with initial actions including; the introduction of zero blood alcohol limit for young drivers and repeat drink drivers, and the introduction of alcohol interlocks for convicted drink-drivers.

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