Consequences – Puts you in the shoes of a drink driver

Initiative details

One of the problems faced by every road safety body is that the consequences of drink driving are abstract to people that have never felt them. It’s hard to imagine losing your licence, ending up in prison, killing someone, or being left with permanent disabilities because most of us have never experienced these things. We can logically understand them, but we don’t feel them. For the first time, using Virtual Reality, we could create a shocking and deeply resonant immersive experience and make these consequences feel real.
Data collected by the organisation showed that there had been a resurgence in drink driving in Ireland. A legacy of historical anti-drink driving advertising had reduced the behaviour, but a new cohort of younger people, who have never been exposed to it, were drinking and driving anew. These findings instigated creating a campaign to help reduce this worrying trend against younger adult males who considered themselves invincible and immune to road traffic collisions. For the first time, using Virtual Reality (VR), we could create a shocking and deeply resonant immersive experience and make these consequences feel real.
Our response was ‘Consequences’: a cut-through VR experience that toured the country and challenged the user by putting them in the shoes of a drunk driver, bringing this serious message home in a completely new and immersive way. Different storylines allowed the user to experience the full extent of the agonising consequences of drink driving—from injury to prosecution.

Initiative date

Who was/is your target audience?

Policy makers
Public authorities
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Seniors
Company employees
Fleet operators
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Educational staff
Emergency services
Public transport
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers

Topic

Create awareness

Organisation details

Road Safety Authority
Association
Ireland
Ballina, Co. Mayo

Contact name

Christine Hegarty

Telephone number

0879143104

Website link

Project activities

Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.

The key objective was to reduce the prospect of drink-driving amongst this younger cohort. We wanted to get under the audience’s skin, using a tech-appropriate medium, and make sure they had an experience they would never forget: one that would change how they think and importantly, how they behave.
With “Consequences”, we used innovative new technology to immerse the target audience in an experience to make them feel, think and behave differently. This unique VR experience is delivered at scale using smartphone technology and VR headsets on a RSA roadshow shuttle that visits schools, colleges, festivals, national and community events, companies and other places where drink driving can happen. Employing a 360° video camera technique, “Consequences” thrust the user into an immersive environment, one unlike anything most would have experienced through the medium before, and one which puts the user front and centre of a devastating journey, one which was created with the intention to linger and last with the user long after they have taken the headset off. We wanted the experience to feel real and make it more engaging and memorable.
The technology is delivered on our Interactive Road Safety Education shuttle roadshow at schools and events across the country, as well as in classrooms and exhibitions through Oculus Go headsets and Google Cardboard. VR really can change behaviours and have a positive social impact on society.

In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?

Compared to other technology we have experimented with, the VR headsets work really well with users. They are attracted and curious to use them. The VR devices are preloaded with the scenarios, so they don’t require the use of broadband. This means we can travel all over the country and use them without any issues. For some users the headsets can be difficult to use especially if it’s their first time. We have learned it’s important to have staff to assist the user in setting them up and guide them in what to do.

The new technology is available on our Interactive Road Safety Education Unit – The Shuttle. The Shuttle unit travels to post primary and third level institutes nationwide. However, due to its size some locations are not possible due to health and safety.

To address this challenge, from September we will have two dedicated staff that will travel nationwide to all third level institutes to provide road safety education to young people. This is a key group to educate on the consequences of drink driving as the majority are learning or are already driving.

If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.

For the development of the scenarios we required the knowledge and expertise of An Garda Síochána (Police in Ireland), National Ambulance Service, National Fire Service and the Courts Service.

An Garda Siochana provided the legal advice in relation to enforcement and the law. They assisted us in shooting the collision scene, providing guidance and expertise to ensure everything was correct. They also organised and managed the road closure for filming.

The National Ambulance Service provided personnel and fleet for the recording of the scene of the collision.

The Fire Service provided guidance and expertise for the scene of the collision piece being recorded. They also provided personnel to be part of the recording.

The Irish Court Services - the court scene in Consequences was filmed in the Criminal Court of Justice to make the experience as real as possible. Some people would never have seen the inside of a court room. This was the first time filming was per-mitted inside the court.

Evaluation

Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).

To inform how effective this innovative education scenario is, we have gathered verbal feedback from participants and also conducted questionnaires. The feedback received has been positive and informed ‘’consequences’’ is a powerful education tool in changing attitudes and behaviour. The following feedback is from young males:
• “I wish I had experienced this before I lost my license”: Recovering alcoholic at a college demo of the virtual reality experience. Afterwards, he took several of the Google Cardboard versions to his local AA meeting.’’

• ‘’The virtual reality was a real highlight. Many commented on how they felt like they were in a real event but also found that they felt they were living through the event.’’

• ‘’I did the VR with alcohol impairment. It was very realistic and as you were losing control of the vehicle you could feel your stomach turning. It was quiet frightening. I have a personal experience being in a car accident when I was the driver and crashing on wet roads and I can tell you the VR simulators are very similar to the real thing.’’

In May, we attended ‘Gamerfest’ an event that attracts approx. 25,000 young people over two days. At this event we randomly surveyed participants with a post evaluation questionnaire. The results were as follows:

Between Saturday and Sunday, we recorded 98 completes of which 65 were from motorists.
The evaluation of the RSA Virtual Reality experiences is very positive with 80% of motorists who ‘strongly’ agree that after the Virtual Reality experiences they are less likely to drink drive.
Similarly, 87% of those who regularly travel as passenger on a motor vehicle ‘strongly’ agree that after the Virtual Reality experiences are less likely to get in a vehicle where they know the driver has consumed alcohol.

What has been the effect of the activities?

‘’Consequences” has been experienced by over 200,00 people on board the RSA’s shuttle roadshow at schools and events across the country, as well as in classrooms and exhibitions through Oculus Go headsets and Google Cardboard. VR really can change behaviours and have a positive social impact on society. The feedback received has been extremely positive and informed that the user would less likely engage in drink driving but also would also be less likely to travel with someone that has consumed alcohol.

Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.

Experienced through the medium of virtual reality, “Consequences” brings the audience on a shocking journey, one which leads the user to one of two possible, but in-evitable conclusions, both of which highlight the scale of tragedy that can befall someone who is foolish enough to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking alcohol. Employing a 360° video camera technique, “Consequences” thrust the user in to an immersive environment, one unlike anything most would have experienced through the medium before, and one which puts the user front and centre of a devastating journey, one which was created with the intention to linger and last with the user long after they have taken the headset off.

How have you shared information about your project and its results?

We have shared information on the project through the media in both Ireland and UK. It has been promoted at the European Transport Safety Council Education Seminar in September 2023. Images of the VR experience have also been shared on RSA.ie as well as on social media platforms. We also promote
Consequences in the RSA's Educational Newsletter which goes into every secondary school in Ireland
every September as part of the Back to School campaign.

‘’Consequences” has been experienced by over 200,000 people on board the RSA’s shuttle roadshow at schools and events across the country, as well as in classrooms and exhibitions through Oculus Go headsets and Google Cardboard.