ANCAP has launched a “national community awareness campaign” demonstrating how two vehicle safety technologies – autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane support systems such as lane departure warning and lane keep assist – can help turn a potentially negative outcome into a positive one.
The campaign draws on real-life dashcam footage captured and submitted to ANCAP by everyday Australians. Dashcam footage of two common crash scenarios – near-misses with pedestrians and run-off-road crashes – forms the basis of the campaign creative, highlighting the reality and negative consequences of crashes that occur daily on Australian roads.
According to ANCAP, 14 per cent of all road fatalities nationally involve pedestrians, while 66 per cent of all fatalities occur on regional and remote roads.
In contrast to the confronting dashcam footage, ANCAP says the campaign reveals how the lives of vehicle occupants and pedestrians can be saved and injuries avoided by driving a vehicle fitted with AEB and/or active lane support systems. The campaign tagline, ‘Let’s re-write the ending’, conveys to the audience that serious outcomes from road crashes can be prevented.
“The message is simple. Mistakes do happen, but today’s collision avoidance technologies can help turn a negative into a positive,” said Rhianne Robson, Director – Communications & Advocacy at ANCAP.
“The dashcam footage clearly demonstrates that everyday mistakes happen to everyday people, yet a mistake on the road – whether it be yours or someone else’s – does not have to be fatal.”
ANCAP says that 71 per cent of all new vehicles sold are now fitted with some form of AEB as standard. However, with the average Australian consumer driving a vehicle 10 years old, it is estimated that just seven per cent of the 18 million light passenger vehicles registered on Australian roads are currently fitted with it.
“What we want to do through the rollout of this campaign is drive community awareness of the availability, function and benefits of vehicles fitted with these safety systems, and encourage consumer uptake of newer vehicles with these collision avoidance features to help save lives,” Robson added.
“We’re encouraging all motorists to check whether the car they currently drive or [are] looking to buy is fitted with AEB or LSS through a simple search tool now available on the ANCAP website.”
The campaign has launched nationally and can be viewed here, where consumers can also check AEB and LSS availability.