PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Inattentive driving, failure to yield and speeding continue to be primary contributing factors to over half of Nevada's injury motor vehicle crashes. In addition, data indicate that 208 of Nevada's 272 crash fatalities in 1994 were not using occupant restraints. Of those, 96 were ejected from the vehicles. Existing educational materials addressing these concerns were limited, and not specific to Nevada audiences. Nevada needed a program to encompass all aspects of traffic safety and encourage local communities to become involved in traffic safety coalitions.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the Save a Life Like Yours (SALLY) Project is to develop public education and awareness materials for use by Nevada Community Traffic Safety Coalitions and other groups who need support materials for local programs aimed at reducing traffic related injuries and fatalities. Specific objectives include:

Developing an easy-to-identify character to help promote traffic safety on brochures, posters, etc.

Creating graphics, camera ready artwork, brochures and posters for various traffic safety priority areas

Producing five radio public service announcements to address targeted priority areas and audiences

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

The SALLY program utilized past efforts and consolidated them into a more comprehensive campaign. It was designed to increase the impact of traffic safety campaigns through creation of an animated character that could serve as a spokesperson and appear in a broad variety of public education materials. A local artist, in cooperation with the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), created SALLY, an animated figure whose name stands for Save a Life Like Yours. Nevada OTS developed several sample

Save a Life Like Yours (SALLY) (cont'd)

materials using SALLY and then focus-tested them with a group of 12 adults who were involved with pedestrian issues. The group found the materials entertaining enough to get their attention and serious enough to deliver a compelling message.

Nevada OTS had SALLY copyrighted and completed development of SALLY materials in the areas of adult restraints, pedestrian safety for children and adults, driver alertness and bicycle safety. Brochures and posters featuring SALLY are distributed through enforcement personnel, media events, and community coalitions. The initial materials will provide a foundation for expansion in the years to come and will reinforce program recognition. SALLY has already proven popular with traffic safety professionals and is being used by several other groups developing materials. Additional materials addressing speeding and alcohol-related issues are currently under production.

RESULTS

OTS produced and distributed over 40,000 "SALLY says" bicycle/pedestrian safety bookmarks, 20,000 "SALLY says" shoelace reflectors and 50,000 "SALLY says" pedestrian safety color brochures. The radio public service announcement funding was used for TV production because SALLY's visual recognition was more effective than her audio recognition. One of the project's most exciting results is the recently formed partnership between OTS and McDonald's Restaurants to distribute and promote SALLY materials. Plans are underway for Ronald McDonald and a person dressed as SALLY to appear at local public events and distribute SALLY traffic safety information. As a result of the SALLY project, three Nevada community coalitions have begun using SALLY materials in their local traffic safety programs. The coalitions' use of the SALLY materials increases the recognition of the logo, and furthers the materials success in bringing the community together to solve traffic safety problems. The program's impact on traffic crashes has not been quantified, because 1995 data is not yet available.