Initiative details
Drivers encounter dangerous situations on the roads daily, arising from aggressive driving behavior. The project DriveArse (Czech: Nenechte se rozladit - Řitiči) indirectly built upon findings from the project Aggression Kills (Agresivita zabíjí by ČAP, BESIP) and systematically used them to create a positive solution in situations where a road user is confronted with aggression behind the wheel.
Previous research (Aggression Kills, ČAP, BESIP) indicate that aggressive driving causes up to 40% of fatal traffic accidents. Aggressive driving is dangerous not only for the drivers themselves but also for those around them. 7 out of 10 drivers admit that they are provoked into aggressive driving and change their own driving style. This is linked to the belief of 88% of Czech drivers in the increasing aggression behind the wheel. Almost 60% of drivers under 30 sometimes intentionally do not maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them, and 20% of them purposely speed up when another car is trying to overtake them. At the same time, 87% of drivers are motivated by the considerate driving of others.
In the case of aggression behind the wheel, the current legislative support in the Czech Republic is rather general and does not contain precise definitions of aggressive behavior behind the wheel, its specific manifestations, or the exact penalties that may be imposed. The DriveArse campaign was therefore carried out together with the efforts of Platforma VIZE 0 for legislative changes, using experiences from selected EU countries where legislation defines what precisely aggression is and imposes specific sanctions.
This project comes up with a positive attitude and wit as a tool to deal with unpleasant situations on the road, while also functioning as a creative research. It presents manifestations of aggression through caricatures of aggressive drivers with creative names. In this way, it helps road users to recognise and name aggressive drivers, as well as not to be provoked by such aggressive drivers and to handle the situation with humour (for example with a rhyme or a funny remark).
Previous research (Aggression Kills, ČAP, BESIP) indicate that aggressive driving causes up to 40% of fatal traffic accidents. Aggressive driving is dangerous not only for the drivers themselves but also for those around them. 7 out of 10 drivers admit that they are provoked into aggressive driving and change their own driving style. This is linked to the belief of 88% of Czech drivers in the increasing aggression behind the wheel. Almost 60% of drivers under 30 sometimes intentionally do not maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them, and 20% of them purposely speed up when another car is trying to overtake them. At the same time, 87% of drivers are motivated by the considerate driving of others.
In the case of aggression behind the wheel, the current legislative support in the Czech Republic is rather general and does not contain precise definitions of aggressive behavior behind the wheel, its specific manifestations, or the exact penalties that may be imposed. The DriveArse campaign was therefore carried out together with the efforts of Platforma VIZE 0 for legislative changes, using experiences from selected EU countries where legislation defines what precisely aggression is and imposes specific sanctions.
This project comes up with a positive attitude and wit as a tool to deal with unpleasant situations on the road, while also functioning as a creative research. It presents manifestations of aggression through caricatures of aggressive drivers with creative names. In this way, it helps road users to recognise and name aggressive drivers, as well as not to be provoked by such aggressive drivers and to handle the situation with humour (for example with a rhyme or a funny remark).
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Children 0-16
Young adults 17-25
Adults
Parents
Seniors
Company employees
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Educational staff
Topic
Create awareness
Knowledge building and sharing
Organisation details
Platforma VIZE 0
Association
Czech Republic
Prague
Contact name
Libor Budina
Telephone number
+420727901494
lbudina@koop.cz
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
Czech Insurers’ Bureau (Česká kancelář pojistitelů) – member of Vize 0, project financing from the fund
Czech Insurance Association (Česká asociace pojišťoven) – member of Vize 0, the DiveArse project indirectly followed on from the findings from their project Aggression kills (Agresivita zabíjí)
Transport Research Center (Centrum dopravního výzkumu) – member od Vize 0, collaboration with experts
Agentura GEN, Katedra multimédií VŠE – creation of campaign communication
OMV – providing advertising space, provider of valuable prizes for competitions
Hedepy online therapy – provider of valuable prizes for competitions
Traffic experts and psychologists - advisers and guides in educational videos
Liberecká Perla YouTube channel – dashcam videos provider
Prima TV – dashcam videos provider
Czech Insurance Association (Česká asociace pojišťoven) – member of Vize 0, the DiveArse project indirectly followed on from the findings from their project Aggression kills (Agresivita zabíjí)
Transport Research Center (Centrum dopravního výzkumu) – member od Vize 0, collaboration with experts
Agentura GEN, Katedra multimédií VŠE – creation of campaign communication
OMV – providing advertising space, provider of valuable prizes for competitions
Hedepy online therapy – provider of valuable prizes for competitions
Traffic experts and psychologists - advisers and guides in educational videos
Liberecká Perla YouTube channel – dashcam videos provider
Prima TV – dashcam videos provider
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
As part of the campaign, which ran from May to December 2023, a series of preventive and educational activities occured. A panel survey (pretest) was conducted with 1,016 respondents to verify the communication style. Data collection took place between 28 April and 3 May 2023. From this, the campaign's first three types of aggressive drivers emerged - the so-called DriveArse: Tailgater (Řitič Lepič), Lane-hopper (Řitič Myškař), and Harsh-braker (Řitič Vybržďovač). A catchy rhyming jingle was also created, which could be heard on the radio and in short live-action video spots.
This research also led to a creative study in which drivers and children actively participated. A competition was created where people could register new types of DriveArse. The goal was to name and describe them humorously. Children could color existing DriveArse or design a new one, perhaps with the help of their parents.
Two websites were created for online communication. The first informational website www.ritici.cz and the second e-learning website www.otestujse.ritici.cz.
The informational website was launched on 18 May 2023, and contained information about aggressive drivers, offering practical tips and advice for staying calm behind the wheel using infographics and videos. Additionally, it was possible (and still is) to register new DriveArse via a web form or vote in a poll for the most annoying one. The Atlas of the DriveArse and selected registered DriveArse proposed by people during the campaign were published on the website. From the proposals on the website, three new types of DriveArse eventually created - Snail, Left-laner, and Racer. People’s suggestions from the web form eventually led to 3 new types of DriveArse: Snail (Řitič Šnek), Racer (Řitič Závodník) and Left-laner (Řitič Levoproudař).
The e-learning website was launched on 23 October 2023, and included an educational game where the player first practiced how to react correctly to traffic situations with aggressive drivers and then tested their knowledge in a competitive quiz. The best quiz players could place in a leaderboard and participate in a competition between 23 October and 3 December 2023. The e-learning was complemented by video reactions from a traffic expert and traffic psychologists, who explained how to respond correctly to each type of DriveArse.
For each of the six DriveArse (Tailgater, Lane-hopper, Harsh-braker, Snail, Racer, and Left-laner), a series of educational social media posts and videos were created that humorously described the DriveArse, provided advice on how to prevent such behavior on the road or how to react to it. The posts also included comments from a traffic expert and a traffic psychologist. As part of the communication, the followers' discussion on individual topics was encouraged.
The preventive campaign was also supported by radio broadcasts, collaboration with an influencer, and OMV gas stations. Valuable prizes could be won in the popular morning show (Ranní show Evropy 2) on one of the most listened-to Czech radio stations. An influencer and the band Čechomor also joined the campaign, sharing their experiences with DriveArse with their followers.
This research also led to a creative study in which drivers and children actively participated. A competition was created where people could register new types of DriveArse. The goal was to name and describe them humorously. Children could color existing DriveArse or design a new one, perhaps with the help of their parents.
Two websites were created for online communication. The first informational website www.ritici.cz and the second e-learning website www.otestujse.ritici.cz.
The informational website was launched on 18 May 2023, and contained information about aggressive drivers, offering practical tips and advice for staying calm behind the wheel using infographics and videos. Additionally, it was possible (and still is) to register new DriveArse via a web form or vote in a poll for the most annoying one. The Atlas of the DriveArse and selected registered DriveArse proposed by people during the campaign were published on the website. From the proposals on the website, three new types of DriveArse eventually created - Snail, Left-laner, and Racer. People’s suggestions from the web form eventually led to 3 new types of DriveArse: Snail (Řitič Šnek), Racer (Řitič Závodník) and Left-laner (Řitič Levoproudař).
The e-learning website was launched on 23 October 2023, and included an educational game where the player first practiced how to react correctly to traffic situations with aggressive drivers and then tested their knowledge in a competitive quiz. The best quiz players could place in a leaderboard and participate in a competition between 23 October and 3 December 2023. The e-learning was complemented by video reactions from a traffic expert and traffic psychologists, who explained how to respond correctly to each type of DriveArse.
For each of the six DriveArse (Tailgater, Lane-hopper, Harsh-braker, Snail, Racer, and Left-laner), a series of educational social media posts and videos were created that humorously described the DriveArse, provided advice on how to prevent such behavior on the road or how to react to it. The posts also included comments from a traffic expert and a traffic psychologist. As part of the communication, the followers' discussion on individual topics was encouraged.
The preventive campaign was also supported by radio broadcasts, collaboration with an influencer, and OMV gas stations. Valuable prizes could be won in the popular morning show (Ranní show Evropy 2) on one of the most listened-to Czech radio stations. An influencer and the band Čechomor also joined the campaign, sharing their experiences with DriveArse with their followers.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
As a basis, positive humorous communication was proven right from the start. The response to the communication was massive, and instead of the original goal of engaging 10,000 users in the discussion, a total of 60,000 participated.
The involvement of drivers and children in the campaign was a great success. We received 543 text proposals and children's drawings on the theme of new types of DriveArse. The e-learning game was completed by 1,646 players (43.8% of those who started it) during the campaign, and their playtime ranged between 10-15 minutes.
The collaboration with OMV gas stations, the Hedepy portal offering online therapy, as well as the YouTube channel Liberecká Perla and Prima TV, which provided real dashcam videos, was also successful.
A particular challenge in the project was communicating a severe and demanding topic of road aggression in a humorous and positive manner that would interest, entertain, and educate the target audience on this issue.
At the same time, it was often difficult to maintain the balance in communication to ensure that discussions, especially on social media, did not get out of hand - for example, to prevent people from reporting license plates of specific trespassers who committed road aggression instead of coming up with creative proposals for new DriveArse.
The involvement of drivers and children in the campaign was a great success. We received 543 text proposals and children's drawings on the theme of new types of DriveArse. The e-learning game was completed by 1,646 players (43.8% of those who started it) during the campaign, and their playtime ranged between 10-15 minutes.
The collaboration with OMV gas stations, the Hedepy portal offering online therapy, as well as the YouTube channel Liberecká Perla and Prima TV, which provided real dashcam videos, was also successful.
A particular challenge in the project was communicating a severe and demanding topic of road aggression in a humorous and positive manner that would interest, entertain, and educate the target audience on this issue.
At the same time, it was often difficult to maintain the balance in communication to ensure that discussions, especially on social media, did not get out of hand - for example, to prevent people from reporting license plates of specific trespassers who committed road aggression instead of coming up with creative proposals for new DriveArse.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
We concluded the campaign with a panel survey where we verified the campaign's reach and its real impact on people's driving behavior. The second panel survey involved 1,020 respondents from the online population aged 18+. The second panel survey examined the reach of different campaign sections and compared them in specific categories with the first panel survey.
On social media, the reach of posts and the level of user engagement were monitored. Comments and questions on campaign posts were evaluated in the same way.
Web analytics were tracked on both websites (informational and e-learning). On the informational website, the number of new DriveArse proposals submitted via the web form and user participation in voting for the worst DriveArse were monitored. Indicators of e-learning launch, competition quiz, completion rate as well as contestants' final scores were monitored on the e-learning website. Media monitoring was also used to track the campaign's media reach.
In summary, the metrics for validating the campaign were obtained from the panel survey, social media reports, PPC ad purchase reports, web analytics, and information from the radio.
On social media, the reach of posts and the level of user engagement were monitored. Comments and questions on campaign posts were evaluated in the same way.
Web analytics were tracked on both websites (informational and e-learning). On the informational website, the number of new DriveArse proposals submitted via the web form and user participation in voting for the worst DriveArse were monitored. Indicators of e-learning launch, competition quiz, completion rate as well as contestants' final scores were monitored on the e-learning website. Media monitoring was also used to track the campaign's media reach.
In summary, the metrics for validating the campaign were obtained from the panel survey, social media reports, PPC ad purchase reports, web analytics, and information from the radio.
What has been the effect of the activities?
The campaign reached nearly 8 million people, impacting each of them approximately 14 times. We engaged 60,000 people across all project activities in the discussion.
The results from the panel survey were crucial for verifying real changes in driver behavior on the roads. 31% of respondents reported recalling at least one of the cartoon DriveArse. 12% remembered the campaign jingle, and 7% saw the Snail video. Overall, the campaign reached 40% of Czechs using the internet aged 18+.
The campaign was generally rated by respondents as understandable and memorable. 29% of respondents who noticed the campaign stated that it influenced their thinking or behavior on the road. 11.5% of the 1,020 respondents reported that the campaign helped them remain calm in traffic. It can be assumed that 920,000 Czech drivers now know how not to get upset in traffic. Even if this campaign prevented just one traffic accident, it was worth it.
Awareness of the terminology for types of DriveArse generally increased. 77% of drivers recognized the Tailgater, which is 2% more compared to the first survey. 72% of respondents recognized the Lane-hopper at the end of the campaign, compared to 68% initially. Overall, 40% of drivers recall and know at least one DriveArse.
The creativity of participating drivers and their children in the campaign was endless, and beyond the 543 proposals received during the campaign, new DriveArse suggestions continue to come in through the web form even now.
During the campaign, we received 543 proposals for new types of DriveArse. On the e-learning website, 43.8% (1,646) of those who started the e-learning game completed it within 10-15 minutes.
The results from the panel survey were crucial for verifying real changes in driver behavior on the roads. 31% of respondents reported recalling at least one of the cartoon DriveArse. 12% remembered the campaign jingle, and 7% saw the Snail video. Overall, the campaign reached 40% of Czechs using the internet aged 18+.
The campaign was generally rated by respondents as understandable and memorable. 29% of respondents who noticed the campaign stated that it influenced their thinking or behavior on the road. 11.5% of the 1,020 respondents reported that the campaign helped them remain calm in traffic. It can be assumed that 920,000 Czech drivers now know how not to get upset in traffic. Even if this campaign prevented just one traffic accident, it was worth it.
Awareness of the terminology for types of DriveArse generally increased. 77% of drivers recognized the Tailgater, which is 2% more compared to the first survey. 72% of respondents recognized the Lane-hopper at the end of the campaign, compared to 68% initially. Overall, 40% of drivers recall and know at least one DriveArse.
The creativity of participating drivers and their children in the campaign was endless, and beyond the 543 proposals received during the campaign, new DriveArse suggestions continue to come in through the web form even now.
During the campaign, we received 543 proposals for new types of DriveArse. On the e-learning website, 43.8% (1,646) of those who started the e-learning game completed it within 10-15 minutes.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
Aggression behind the wheel is not an easy topic for humorous communication, but if done correctly, it can have an impact on society. And that is what Platforma VIZE 0 and the campaign DriveArse achieved.
Humorous communication about aggressive drivers, identifying individual types, and translating absurd road situations to the sidewalk brought a new kind of awareness that reached a large audience.
The success of the campaign is also indicated by the number of drivers who were influenced by the campaign to remain calm behind the wheel and not get provoked. Aggressiveness behind the wheel alone causes up to 40% of fatal traffic accidents, and therefore, promoting calm driving helps prevent these accidents.
Based on the DriveArse campaign, Platforma VIZE 0 will be submitting a proposal to change the legislation, which will consist of introducing a definition of aggressiveness in connection with the defined archetypes. Drivers will face higher penalties for these types of aggressive offenses.
Humorous communication about aggressive drivers, identifying individual types, and translating absurd road situations to the sidewalk brought a new kind of awareness that reached a large audience.
The success of the campaign is also indicated by the number of drivers who were influenced by the campaign to remain calm behind the wheel and not get provoked. Aggressiveness behind the wheel alone causes up to 40% of fatal traffic accidents, and therefore, promoting calm driving helps prevent these accidents.
Based on the DriveArse campaign, Platforma VIZE 0 will be submitting a proposal to change the legislation, which will consist of introducing a definition of aggressiveness in connection with the defined archetypes. Drivers will face higher penalties for these types of aggressive offenses.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
The entire campaign communication was conducted primarily online but also at various cultural events. Information about the campaign was very easy to find and understand.
The entire campaign was continuously communicated on the social media platforms of Platforma VIZE 0 - with Instagram and Facebook becoming the main social channels. The most heated discussions about the different types of DriveArse, their behavior, and how to respond to their inappropriate actions took place on these two platforms. The campaign was also communicated on Platforma VIZE 0’s LinkedIn and Twitter profile.
Platforma VIZE 0 regularly participates in cultural events to raise awareness, and the DriveArse campaign was part of this effort. It was possible to find the Platforma VIZE 0 stand promoting the DriveArse campaign at various events of the Autodrom Sosnová or other thematically close events.
The campaign kicked off and ended with a press conference to which various media were invited. We ensured that the topic resonated in Czech media and spread spontaneously online in multiple news articles. Platforma VIZE 0 and the DriveArse campaign were also frequently mentioned and sourced in newspaper articles. The campaign made it into radio shows and the main news program of Czech Television (a public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic): Události.
The entire campaign was continuously communicated on the social media platforms of Platforma VIZE 0 - with Instagram and Facebook becoming the main social channels. The most heated discussions about the different types of DriveArse, their behavior, and how to respond to their inappropriate actions took place on these two platforms. The campaign was also communicated on Platforma VIZE 0’s LinkedIn and Twitter profile.
Platforma VIZE 0 regularly participates in cultural events to raise awareness, and the DriveArse campaign was part of this effort. It was possible to find the Platforma VIZE 0 stand promoting the DriveArse campaign at various events of the Autodrom Sosnová or other thematically close events.
The campaign kicked off and ended with a press conference to which various media were invited. We ensured that the topic resonated in Czech media and spread spontaneously online in multiple news articles. Platforma VIZE 0 and the DriveArse campaign were also frequently mentioned and sourced in newspaper articles. The campaign made it into radio shows and the main news program of Czech Television (a public television broadcaster in the Czech Republic): Události.
