The road safety campaign ‘the world can wait’ created by Jessie Smith, is this year’s winner of the Re:act TAFE category.
The Re:act program, supported by the Road Safety Commission, challenges Curtin University and North Metro TAFE students studying communications and graphic design to create peer-to-peer campaigns to raise awareness of road safety issues.
The theme for 2024 was mobile phone distraction. Jessie told ABC Afternoons that her research showed that although her peers knew the risk of mobile phone distraction, they felt a sense of urgency and politeness to respond to calls and messages while driving.
The campaign was designed to give people permission to create some space for themselves and think ‘the world can wait, I don’t have to deal with this right now’.
Jessie felt it was important to make her message short and sweet, to make it memorable in a busy world.
Acting Road Safety Commissioner Rebecca Hamilton joined the Minister for Road Safety David Michael in congratulating Jessie at the unveiling of the campaign on the corner of Hay and Havelock Streets in West Perth.
'It is so important that we get young driver’s perspectives on road safety issues like mobile phone distraction,' said the Acting Commissioner.
In a statement to Parliament, Minister Michael said that Jessie’s campaign reminded drivers that nothing is more important than getting to their destination safely.
'The campaign has the potential to make people turn off notifications, use the do-not disturb mode, and put their mobile phone out of reach to make their journey safer,' he said.
Mobile phone distraction is a serious problem on our roads and can be as risky as drink driving. Using a mobile phone slows your reaction time by 50 per cent and increases your risk of crashing by four times - or ten times if you are texting.
Visit the Re:act website to see other winning campaigns.
