Initiative details
Drivers often find themselves in unexpected situations where the appearance of an emergency vehicle causes anxiety and uncertainty. A wrong decision in such a moment can lead to an accident or delay, which in turn may affect the efficiency of rescue operations or even the chance to save lives. The mission of the project is to help prevent such situations by providing drivers with clear and practical guidelines on how to act in these high-stress moments.
In addition to its practical value, the project also has a broader societal goal — to improve traffic culture and make it safer not only for everyday road users but also for professional drivers such as rescuers, paramedics, and police officers. When all road users understand the importance of emergency vehicles and know how to respond consistently, the entire traffic system functions more effectively. This contributes to creating a safe and considerate traffic environment where people feel responsible not only for their own safety but also for the safety of others.
In addition to its practical value, the project also has a broader societal goal — to improve traffic culture and make it safer not only for everyday road users but also for professional drivers such as rescuers, paramedics, and police officers. When all road users understand the importance of emergency vehicles and know how to respond consistently, the entire traffic system functions more effectively. This contributes to creating a safe and considerate traffic environment where people feel responsible not only for their own safety but also for the safety of others.
Initiative date
Who was/is your target audience?
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Emergency services
Public transport
Van drivers
Lorry/truck drivers
Topic
Create awareness
Knowledge building and sharing
Organisation details
OÜ Tõnni Autokool
Enterprise
Estonia
Estonia
Contact name
Tõnis Kattai
Telephone number
+372 5788 0004
tonis@tonniautokool.ee
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
AS Karell Kiirabi, the Police and Border Guard Board, and the Rescue Board were key partners in the project. They contributed to the production of the video by bringing emergency vehicles to the set, and each organization provided an experienced specialist who gave a short on-camera commentary.
In addition to our key partners, we wish to express our gratitude to Tallinn University Haapsalu College, whose support was invaluable in bringing together a skilled and dedicated team.
In addition to our key partners, we wish to express our gratitude to Tallinn University Haapsalu College, whose support was invaluable in bringing together a skilled and dedicated team.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
In October 2024, we began writing the script and initiated negotiations with key partners: AS Karell Kiirabi (ambulance), the Police and Border Guard Board, and the Rescue Board. Filming started in November. By January 2025, we launched the active distribution of the video to raise awareness about how to behave when encountering emergency vehicles in traffic.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
A positive experience was working with a competent video team and seeing the shared commitment from all partners to create a useful resource. The most challenging part was finding a suitable time that worked for everyone involved.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
We have evaluated the initiative’s impact by measuring the audience size on social media and television, as well as through brief interviews with emergency vehicle drivers.
What has been the effect of the activities?
The television program featuring our video reached approximately 130,000 viewers. Beyond that, the video has been watched more than 250,000 times across multiple social media platforms. Sharing by our partners has further extended its reach, amplifying the impact of our message.
Based on initial feedback, emergency vehicle drivers have noticed a positive change in the behavior of other road users.
Based on initial feedback, emergency vehicle drivers have noticed a positive change in the behavior of other road users.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
Our initiative improves road safety by clearly addressing a common problem: drivers often don’t know how to react to emergency vehicles. By providing practical guidance and raising awareness through collaboration with key partners, we create safer conditions for everyone on the road. Other organizations can learn from this approach by engaging relevant stakeholders and using targeted, accessible communication tools like videos.
Implementing a similar initiative is relatively straightforward. It requires cooperation between emergency services and media professionals, plus clear messaging tailored to the local context. With these elements, other groups can effectively raise awareness and influence driver behavior to enhance traffic safety.
Implementing a similar initiative is relatively straightforward. It requires cooperation between emergency services and media professionals, plus clear messaging tailored to the local context. With these elements, other groups can effectively raise awareness and influence driver behavior to enhance traffic safety.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
We shared information about the project and its results through several channels. The video was broadcast on a television program with a broad audience and distributed across multiple social media platforms. Our partners also helped disseminate the material by sharing it through their own networks. Additionally, we engaged with emergency vehicle drivers through brief interviews to gather and share feedback. These combined efforts ensured wide reach and effective communication of the project’s message.