Ireland's Road Safety Authority slammed over 'offensive' ad suggesting non-drivers 'are a burden'
Neil Fox, whose sister was killed by a truck, says the campaign is "trivialising what is life and death for people"
Ireland's Road Safety Authority has been blasted by the brother of a road death victim, disability groups and climate activists over an ad campaign suggesting non-drivers are "a burden for others".
The RSA says its Lose Your Licence, Lose Your Independence campaign is aimed at tackling dangerous driving behaviours, particularly among young males.
But an ad shared on X, showing a young man getting 'piggy backs' to training, on a date and leaving work with his belongings in a box after telling his mam "they've found out", has been branded "appallingly offensive".
READ MORE: Final All Island Rail plan to bring stations within 5km of 700,000 more homes
READ MORE: Ireland's climate watchdog calls for tax to cut vehicle emissions
It was posted on Monday with the caption: "When you lose your licence, you become reliant on other people to take you where you need to go and you become a burden for others. If you get caught drink or drug driving, you will be disqualified."
Neil Fox, who became road safety campaigner after his sister Donna was killed by a truck while cycling to work in 2016, has called for the ad's withdrawal and for RSA to apologise.
He told the Irish Mirror drink driving did not play any part in what happened to his 30-year-old sister, but when he saw the RSA's latest campaign he felt it was "very obvious it was going to offend a lot of people".
Neil added: "I think it sends the wrong message and Joe Soap could have told them that. It was trivialising what is life and death for people. But above all, in my view it is an affront to those killed by drunk/drug drivers, to those bereaved by road crime and the many injured.
"The idea that people who don't drive cars are a burden... got a lot of negative attention."
Neil felt it portrayed a "regressive attitude" around people who cycle, walk and use buses or trains and was "inappropriate" when you consider the environmental impact of driving.
He added that the "comic element is disgusting".
"A lot of people with disabilities actually cycle because they say it is easier to cycle than walk and also... a lot of road users in the last few years have died that weren't car users. The idea that drink driving is entertaining in any way - that's a bit strange."
Irish Doctors for the Environment also slammed RSA's messaging as "utterly disgraceful". They said: "People who don't drive a car are not a burden on society. They are quite the opposite."
The road safety campaign comes amid a government push to get more people out of their cars, into active travel and on public transport to reduce the State's carbon pollution, as emissions from transport continue to rise.
But it has also offended advocacy groups for people with health conditions. Epilepsy Ireland described the campaign as "deeply insensitive" and said they will be writing to RSA "on behalf of the epilepsy community in Ireland".
Hundreds took to social media to complain. One commenter said: "Your independence is not reliant on car ownership. Your independence is a function of societies ability to facilitate your freedom to live well without reliance on a car industry. The RSA is captured by the car industry and therefore incapable of representing your independence."
"When the harm of air pollution, road deaths and the cost of road maintenance and healthcare is considered, it is drivers who are a burden on society not the other way around. Shocking ignorance from the RSA," said another.
Another person posted: "Lots of people walk, cycle, take public transport and can’t or don’t want to drive. They are not a burden to others. For people who can or try and take other modes of transport, the external benefits to others is immense. This ad is the opposite of encouraging modal shift."
Safe Cycling Ireland asked: "Was there really nobody within your organisation to voice obvious concerns as articulated in the many comments here? …or did you just plough on regardless?"
Others said the authority was "not fit for purpose" and suggested RSA "would do best by encouraging people to try and live life without using a car except when necessary".
A spokesperson for the RSA said the campaign was targeted at "young people aged between 16 and 25 [who] account for over 25% of fatalities on Irish roads this year" and was "developed following feedback from focus groups with young drivers".
They added: "They perceived their licence as being the key to their independence and indicated that the prospective loss of their licence could fundamentally shift their driving behaviours.
"As such, the campaign focuses on their perception of the consequences of losing their licence. It explores how this could make you more reliant on family, friends and colleagues to take you where you need to go. It aims to show young male drivers what it is like to become a burden to others, and to encourage safe and responsible behaviours on the road. It highlights the message of an automatic disqualification if caught driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
"The Lose Your Licence, Lose Your Independence campaign is running across TV, video on demand, sports, radio, podcasts, display, digital and out of home and runs from 19 August to 15 September 2024."
The Department for Transport has been contacted for a comment.
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
