Campaign Background
Fatigue is a major factor in up to 20 percent of rural casualty crashes. This campaign is part of the State Government’s road safety reform package aimed at helping achieve the nationally agreed target of 5.6 fatalities per 100 000 population by year 2010.
A number of initiatives have been implemented with the aim of increasing awareness about the impact of driving while fatigued. The Department of Transport and Urban Planning will remind motorists, through these initiatives, to take regular rest breaks on long journeys.

The television campaign, focusing on micro sleeps, will highlight the need for rest breaks. Furthermore, the Road Safety Advisory Council recommended promoting rest areas with signage, information brochures and maps to counteract the effects of fatigue on South Australian roads.

Advertising Objectives
The objectives of the campaign are to:
Inform drivers about the increased crash risk associated with driving while fatigued
Encourage drivers to stop and provide information about where and why they should stop
Provide factual information about micro sleeps and how far you may travel during a micro sleep while driving
Educate drivers to recognise the early warning signs of fatigue
Explain the high risk times (10pm – 6am) for driver fatigue
Reduce road trauma in country regions and in young drivers
Target Audience
The campaign targets all drivers but specifically those who drive as part of their employment and those who regularly drive for long periods.
The primary target audience for this campaign is:

Motorists
Heavy vehicle drivers
Timing
The driver fatigue television commercial was aired in August 2004 and will be aired again in January 2005. It will be re-used at times when it is considered that drivers need reminding of the risks associated with driving while fatigued.

Media Strategies
The Driver fatigue campaign comprises a television commercial and billboard advertisement, which are supported by a statewide rest area map and fatigue road signage.

Driver Fatigue (Television)
Well-known Professor Dr Karl Kruszelnicki narrates the Driver Fatigue television commercial. He informs drivers about micro sleeps, what causes them and the likely consequences of having one while driving.

The cinematography captures the fear and panic of waking up from a micro sleep and the subsequent collision course drivers can easily find themselves on – heading towards a tree, a semi trailer or a family wagon.

The commercial will also increase driver awareness of the early warning signs and encourage drivers to “STOP. REVIVE. SURVIVE.”

The television commercial is supported by a billboard advertisement, which reminds motorists of the need to “STOP. REVIVE. SURVIVE.” This is communicated through the display of a car, which has crashed into a tree, depicted in a dream-like design.

The State-wide Rest Area Map also provides information about driver fatigue and details the locations of all the state’s rest areas.