In the year 2009, the top operative projects focus, on the other hand, on military conscripts, and the middle-aged target group on the other. These projects are realised as collaboration between Liikenneturva communications and education and they are to be carried out the same way – for the most part – in the activities of all Liikenneturva regional offices. Liikenneturva is also celebrating its anniversary year in 2009.
Liikenneturva 70th Anniversary
On May 22, Liikenneturva celebrates its 70th anniversary. The festivities are held in Helsinki on June 2. The theme of the special day – as well as the theme of the entire anniversary year – is children’s traffic safety.
Campaign for conscripts
Realised as a cooperation with the Finnish Defence Forces and Soldier’s Home Organisation, the project kicked off on 16 February as a press conference was held in Hämeenlinna. The activities will reach, in total, 24,000 conscripts in different garrisons and soldier’s homes.
The campaign is implemented for both incoming service groups of the 2009 and its target group consists of conscripts and their family and loved ones. The goal is to awaken the conscripts – through group discussions – to consider, how severe the consequences of even small errors can actually be. Another issue for consideration is how one can avoid being involved in traffic accidents through one’s own choices. There will be a contest organised in the soldier’s homes related to these issues.
From the point of view of Liikenneturva, the cooperation with the Defence Forces is very important because it helps to reach a significant number of young men.
Anticipate. You know why.
Started out in 2008, this new publicising campaign will continue also during 2009. The campaign targets 25-44 year old male drivers. The campaign aims to impact the driving style of the target group as well as pay attention to proper use of the car safety equipment.
Passenger car drivers and anticipatory driving style
The topics feature correct situational speed, signalling one’s intentions and monitoring, maintaining safety distance, use of seatbelt and driver’s own driving condition (i.e. role of fatigue and alcohol).
Use of seatbelt
The promotional actions for the seatbelt use are focused on the young and middle-aged male drivers. The objective is to make them, as drivers, make sure that all the people in the car are using a seatbelt – with special attention given to the backseat passengers. There will be a new TV infomercial under this topic.
Use of reflector
In accordance to the national traffic safety plan, the reflector campaigns emphasise actions aimed at promoting car drivers’ reflector use. After all, once a driver exits the vehicle he/she becomes a pedestrian.
Use of bicycle helmet
Bicycle helmet campaigning targets the adult family members, with special focus on the mothers.
Making motorcyclists more visible
With regards to the number of motorcyclists’ fatalities, we have returned to the level of the late 1980s / early 1990s (see picture) even as the traffic safety situation, generally speaking, has improved. Motorcycling is the most dangerous form of movement, if one compares the number of accidents per kilometres driven. The reasons for this include poor visibility of the motorcyclists, lack of protection in collisions and risk-taking.
- During 2009, Liikenneturva will cooperate with the police in order to highlight the importance of visibility with regards to two-wheel vehicles and all-terrain-vehicles.
- Renewal of the motorcycle material will be continued together with the related associations in the field. Furthermore, based on the findings of the traffic accident investigation boards, material will be produced for both the motorists and trainers under the theme ‘What can be learned from the fatal accidents of motorists?’
- In the spring, a motorcyclists’ anticipatory driving trainer course is held.
Traffic safety themes for daycare
A new tool has been developed for the specific needs of daycare and it is being marketed for those in charge of providing daycare. The material is based on the themes of the four seasons and it features:
- information about what things should be taught to a child
- general instructions for daycare and parents
- tips on implementation
- info on necessary materials
- topics for discussion and
- traffic signs of the season
There is also a special fairytale for each season. The idea is to get the parents and daycare centres to agree on common ground rules with regards to safe movement.
’Chance’ action targets youth facing difficult life situations
The activity is designed to encourage those 13-17 year-olds who are in need of social empowerment to engage in leisure pursuits. Trained, voluntary adult counsellors serve as encouraging supporters and sponsors in the groups which are formed under the youths’ own terms.
Chance action kicked off in 1998 as a cause for joint national fund drive. The activities utilise materials produced by Liikenneturva. The action reaches about 1,000 youth who are in danger of becoming marginalised. To date, 1,285 individual youth projects have started out, with about 12,000 youth participating. Proportionally speaking, Chance groups have been most active in Central Finland and Lapland.
New pilot project to improve work traffic safety
In cooperation with the Centre for Occupational Safety, Liikenneturva is renewing its work traffic material during the year 2009. The goal is to influence the corporate sector so that companies would include also work traffic safety under their work protection policies. Companies are provided with information about work traffic risks and operative models on how to avoid them.
Working together with Itella and Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), Liikenneturva is also launching a pilot project that seeks to improve the traffic safety of postal vehicle drivers by utilising a group discussion method which studies have shown to be quite effective.
Work traffic is a significant work accident risk. The risk of being involved in an accident during the trip to work / from work is equal to the risk of being involved in an accident at the work place – even though one spends a lot less time in traffic than at work. Annually there are almost 25,000 accidents that occur while en route to work / from work or participating in traffic during working hours. Work accidents which take place in traffic cause many times more costs than work place accidents. Even minor traffic accidents elicit the work place costs of thousands of euros; in addition, a great deal more working days are lost than in other work accidents.
EU Safety and Health at Work Day 28 April 2009
Regional expert seminars to improve the safety of the elderly
During the year 2009 Liikenneturva is hosting regional seminars that deal with movement and safety of movement in an aging Finland. The seminars approach the issue on the basis of the report on elderly titled ‘Older is wiser, if lacking in strength’ which was handed over to the Ministry of Transport and Communications on 2 October 2008.
The target group of the seminars consists of various parties working with the elderly, experts, senior citizens and media.
Liikenneturva will also familiarise driving school instructors on the special characteristics of the elderly, since as the population is aging more and more elderly drivers become customers of the driving schools – either voluntarily or via driving health evaluations and right-to-drive process.
Research backs up operative planning
The research unit of Liikenneturva produces and compiles content which relates to traffic safety. These materials are available for the planning and focusing effort of communications and education. The research unit also evaluates the effects of the implemented measures.
Reasons for seatbelt use and non-use
This study assesses the attitudes of the Finns towards seatbelts, gathering information and perceptions about the protective effect of seatbelt usage. In addition, the study collects data regarding the reasons people of different ages either use a seatbelt or fail to do so.
REAK training
An evaluation study is launched in order to develop contents.
Further development of senior citizens’ stay-in-shape course and drive-o-meter
A study will be launched in order to develop existing education & training products of the elderly
Conscript study
The study assesses how the conscripts’ traffic safety project was received; whether the content was perceived to be worthwhile or not and what were the views of the instructors and recruits regarding the safety effects.
Risk driver study
A monitoring study that is aimed at finding out how drivers who were assessed to be risk drivers 20 years ago have coped in traffic since.
School children’s traffic safety attitudes and knowledge base
In 2008, a survey was launched for 14-15 year-olds as a Nordic collaboration effort. The study aims to explore e.g. traffic safety attitudes, information and traffic behaviour. With regards to Finland’s involvement in the study, the material is analysed also for domestic use.
Liikenneturva performance meters
The aim is to develop instruments that assist in evaluating the operations of Liikenneturva. These tools allow gaining a wider perspective on the performed measures and their success.
