THE DEPARTMENT of the Environment in the North has launched a “virtual” and “pioneering” project to try to persuade young people to slow down and avoid reckless, drink and dangerous driving.
Minister Sammy Wilson, a keen motorcycle enthusiast, yesterday unveiled an advertising campaign where users of Xboxes will be urged in real life to exercise caution on the roads as in the virtual world they play high-speed car chases on their online games.
The road safety messages are being seen by gamers, mostly young adult males, while they play racing and sporting games. One-quarter of men in the 17-24 age group in Northern Ireland own an Xbox 360 or have access to one.
Over Christmas and the new year, this in-game advertising will deliver 320,000 road safety messages to a core target audience at a point where they are emotionally engaged with content which promotes dangerous road user behaviour, according to Mr Wilson.
Mr Wilson said virtual boy racers were being reminded of the harsh reality of reckless driving on real roads. He said that gaming was one of the fastest growing global entertainment forms that presented unique opportunities for targeting messages at young adult males.
“My department is always looking for innovative ways of getting the road safety message across to all sections of society and this initiative will enable us to target the group most at risk on Northern Ireland roads,” said Mr Wilson.
“Young men, especially those who love playing these games, need to be aware there is a big difference between the virtual world and real life where there is no restart button,” he added.
“There are no second chances in real life. Unlike the virtual world, if you crash a speeding car or take risks on the road it really will be ‘game over’,” warned Mr Wilson. The online adverts will run over Christmas and throughout January.