Highways Agency premieres road worker safety message
As cinema goers settle down with their popcorn to watch the latest box office smash they will also receive a hard hitting road worker safety message from the Highways Agency.
As part of a five week ‘Respect our Road Workers’ campaign across the North East and Yorkshire the Highways Agency is screening their ‘Respect’ advert to cinema audiences prior to each film. The advert urges drivers to take more care as they drive near roadworks and graphically illustrates the consequences of not doing so.
The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the environment in which road workers work and to encourage all road users to drive more safely when driving along roads where roadworks or road workers are present.
The advert compares the roles of road workers with other professionals such as teachers and doctors whose roles are also to make our lives more informed, more reliable and safe. The road worker is contrasted next to other professionals to build drama and show the everyday dangers of the job. The consequences of not respecting road workers are made clear with shocking outcomes.
The cinema advertising campaign is also complemented by a series of posters within the cinemas and also at motorway services.
Highways Agency’s Regional Performance Manager for Yorkshire and the North East, Chris Holehouse said:
“Every day thousands of road workers across the country put their trust in the hands of around 18 million other road users. By showing this advert at cinemas located near to our road network we hope drivers will remember the messages when they next drive through roadworks.
“We are calling on all road users to respect the fact that our road workers are delivering a service for them, which is to provide an improved road to help make their journey more reliable and safer.
“Driving safely through roadworks can save lives. Loss of life, or a serious injury, is a very real threat to these workers, and so is physical and verbal abuse. They are out there doing their job. The road is their work place.
“Cones, barriers, signs and reduced speed limits are there for a reason – to protect our workers from danger and keep the public safe. I urge all drivers to pay close attention to safety when driving through roadworks.”
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