Initiative details
In 2024, Spain recorded 76,327 occupational road accidents resulting in 239 worker fatalities, which accounted for 13.3% of the nation's total traffic-related deaths (1,785). To address this critical safety challenge, the Cantabria Provincial Traffic Headquarters (DGT) and the Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (ICASST) established a strategic partnership to jointly design and implement this preventive initiative.
The project consists of an occupational and awareness-raising escape room, centered around a work-related road accident involving a female worker. The activity uses gamification and time pressure mechanics to teach key concepts regarding risk prevention and occupational road safety.
The game is based on a realistic scenario: a young woman works as a delivery rider for a pizzeria that prioritizes delivery speed over safety by offering customers free drinks when deliveries exceed 30 minutes. The employee, forced to use a moped in poor technical condition, endures intense pressure from her manager during peak hours. The climax of the story is reached when a phone call from her boss while she is riding triggers acute occupational stress and a critical distraction, resulting in a severe accident that leaves her badly injured on the road.
Following this narrative, the participants step into action. The room realistically recreates the accident scene, including the victim, the moped, scattered delivery items, and a backdrop depicting an interurban road. Participants are divided into four intervention teams, identified by authentic high-visibility vests and badges: Firefighters, Police, Medical Responders, and Civilians. The teams have exactly 60 minutes to overcome the challenges. This timeframe represents the "golden hour"—the critical period during which a road traffic accident victim must receive medical care to maximize their chances of survival.
By successfully completing various tasks related to occupational road safety, the teams unlock clues leading to a final collaborative challenge. This practical, time-pressured methodology facilitates the internalization of preventive protocols in an engaging and interactive manner. If they join forces and solve the challenges within the time limit, they will succeed in saving the young delivery rider's life.
To ensure the learning objectives are met, the activity culminates in a final debriefing session. During this session, organizers and participants analyze the decisions made during the game, reinforce the risk prevention concepts introduced, and address any questions or suggestions, thereby completing the training cycle.
The project consists of an occupational and awareness-raising escape room, centered around a work-related road accident involving a female worker. The activity uses gamification and time pressure mechanics to teach key concepts regarding risk prevention and occupational road safety.
The game is based on a realistic scenario: a young woman works as a delivery rider for a pizzeria that prioritizes delivery speed over safety by offering customers free drinks when deliveries exceed 30 minutes. The employee, forced to use a moped in poor technical condition, endures intense pressure from her manager during peak hours. The climax of the story is reached when a phone call from her boss while she is riding triggers acute occupational stress and a critical distraction, resulting in a severe accident that leaves her badly injured on the road.
Following this narrative, the participants step into action. The room realistically recreates the accident scene, including the victim, the moped, scattered delivery items, and a backdrop depicting an interurban road. Participants are divided into four intervention teams, identified by authentic high-visibility vests and badges: Firefighters, Police, Medical Responders, and Civilians. The teams have exactly 60 minutes to overcome the challenges. This timeframe represents the "golden hour"—the critical period during which a road traffic accident victim must receive medical care to maximize their chances of survival.
By successfully completing various tasks related to occupational road safety, the teams unlock clues leading to a final collaborative challenge. This practical, time-pressured methodology facilitates the internalization of preventive protocols in an engaging and interactive manner. If they join forces and solve the challenges within the time limit, they will succeed in saving the young delivery rider's life.
To ensure the learning objectives are met, the activity culminates in a final debriefing session. During this session, organizers and participants analyze the decisions made during the game, reinforce the risk prevention concepts introduced, and address any questions or suggestions, thereby completing the training cycle.
Initiative date
Who was/is your target audience?
Adults
Company employees
Car drivers – professional
Topic
Create awareness
Training
Organisation details
Directorate-Generale for Traffic
Local Public authority
Spain
Santander
Contact name
Sergio Salon
Telephone number
+34 618024522
educacionvial.jpts@dgt.es
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
To successfully execute a complex and comprehensive initiative like the Road Safety Escape Experience, we rely on a robust network of strategic partnerships with key public institutions and specialized organizations. Each partner plays a critical role in the project’s design, technical validation, and institutional outreach:
ICASST (Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety): A public agency operating under the Government of Cantabria, entrusted with overseeing the region's occupational risk prevention policies. As a highly active public stakeholder, ICASST drives the institutional dissemination of the project across the corporate sector. Beyond outreach, their technical experts actively collaborate in the pedagogical design and development of several escape room challenges, ensuring that the content strictly aligns with current occupational health and safety standards.
Spanish Red Cross (Cruz Roja): The Red Cross is fundamental to the project's post-accident response and emergency medical module. They provide the expert framework for a specific challenge where participants must execute the correct procedures when encountering a traffic collision. Through this hands-on module, participants are trained in the vital P.A.S. protocol (Protect, Alert, Secure/Succor) and essential roadside first aid interventions, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers.
ATSPRLC (Cantabrian Association of Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians): This professional association provides targeted support in disseminating the initiative directly to Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians across a wide network of companies. Their strategic involvement guarantees that the project reaches the specialized decision-makers responsible for implementing corporate safety training programs within their respective enterprises.
ICASST (Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety): A public agency operating under the Government of Cantabria, entrusted with overseeing the region's occupational risk prevention policies. As a highly active public stakeholder, ICASST drives the institutional dissemination of the project across the corporate sector. Beyond outreach, their technical experts actively collaborate in the pedagogical design and development of several escape room challenges, ensuring that the content strictly aligns with current occupational health and safety standards.
Spanish Red Cross (Cruz Roja): The Red Cross is fundamental to the project's post-accident response and emergency medical module. They provide the expert framework for a specific challenge where participants must execute the correct procedures when encountering a traffic collision. Through this hands-on module, participants are trained in the vital P.A.S. protocol (Protect, Alert, Secure/Succor) and essential roadside first aid interventions, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers.
ATSPRLC (Cantabrian Association of Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians): This professional association provides targeted support in disseminating the initiative directly to Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians across a wide network of companies. Their strategic involvement guarantees that the project reaches the specialized decision-makers responsible for implementing corporate safety training programs within their respective enterprises.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
The Road Safety Escape Experience for Workers has been implemented through four key phases from January 2024 to the present:
1. Design and Development (Jan–Feb 2024): We developed an immersive, gamified curriculum tailored to corporate employees, aiming to reduce commuting and mission-related road accidents. Driven by AI-generated audio-visual narratives. Challenges were engineered to address specific occupational hazards: alcohol/drugs, vehicle maintenance, drowsiness, psychosocial driving factors, distractions, ADAS, motorcycle safety (airbags), and road first aid.
2. Pilot Testing (Sept 2024): Escape room mechanics were thoroughly validated with initial control groups. This crucial step allowed us to calibrate puzzle difficulty, optimize the narrative flow, and effectively measure the early retention of critical safety concepts.
3. Active Deployment (Jan 2025–Present): We execute monthly training sessions with diverse enterprises. Participant teams solve sequential challenges, culminating in a final puzzle where all four independent teams must unite—proving that collective teamwork is vital for road safety.
4. Evaluation and Debriefing (Ongoing): Post-session structured debriefings anchor learning outcomes. By replacing traditional, passive lectures with this active, experiential framework, the project significantly elevates participant engagement and long-term retention of practical road-risk mitigation.
1. Design and Development (Jan–Feb 2024): We developed an immersive, gamified curriculum tailored to corporate employees, aiming to reduce commuting and mission-related road accidents. Driven by AI-generated audio-visual narratives. Challenges were engineered to address specific occupational hazards: alcohol/drugs, vehicle maintenance, drowsiness, psychosocial driving factors, distractions, ADAS, motorcycle safety (airbags), and road first aid.
2. Pilot Testing (Sept 2024): Escape room mechanics were thoroughly validated with initial control groups. This crucial step allowed us to calibrate puzzle difficulty, optimize the narrative flow, and effectively measure the early retention of critical safety concepts.
3. Active Deployment (Jan 2025–Present): We execute monthly training sessions with diverse enterprises. Participant teams solve sequential challenges, culminating in a final puzzle where all four independent teams must unite—proving that collective teamwork is vital for road safety.
4. Evaluation and Debriefing (Ongoing): Post-session structured debriefings anchor learning outcomes. By replacing traditional, passive lectures with this active, experiential framework, the project significantly elevates participant engagement and long-term retention of practical road-risk mitigation.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
What Worked Well:
The project’s most significant success lies in its immersive, experiential learning methodology. By simulating realistic occupational road hazards within a controlled environment, participants deeply internalize critical safety concepts without exposure to actual risk. This dynamic approach ensures sustained, high-level engagement from start to finish, offering a stark contrast to passive traditional training methods. Furthermore, the exceptionally positive feedback from participants has provided valuable data to fuel our continuous improvement cycle.
Additionally, the structural modularity of the Escape Room proved highly effective. All challenges are open-ended and customizable, allowing us to seamlessly adapt the curriculum to emerging road safety paradigms.
Challenges Overcome:
During implementation, the need to maintain relevance with technological advancements required agile adaptation. For example, to keep pace with automotive innovation, we successfully redesigned an early module focused on traditional "Rescue Sheets" into a technical puzzle addressing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The most demanding operational challenge, however, was calibrating the puzzle difficulty to fit the strict one-hour session limit. Through rigorous pilot testing, we carefully balanced task complexity and cognitive load, ensuring the educational objectives were fully met within the timeframe without causing participant frustration.
The project’s most significant success lies in its immersive, experiential learning methodology. By simulating realistic occupational road hazards within a controlled environment, participants deeply internalize critical safety concepts without exposure to actual risk. This dynamic approach ensures sustained, high-level engagement from start to finish, offering a stark contrast to passive traditional training methods. Furthermore, the exceptionally positive feedback from participants has provided valuable data to fuel our continuous improvement cycle.
Additionally, the structural modularity of the Escape Room proved highly effective. All challenges are open-ended and customizable, allowing us to seamlessly adapt the curriculum to emerging road safety paradigms.
Challenges Overcome:
During implementation, the need to maintain relevance with technological advancements required agile adaptation. For example, to keep pace with automotive innovation, we successfully redesigned an early module focused on traditional "Rescue Sheets" into a technical puzzle addressing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The most demanding operational challenge, however, was calibrating the puzzle difficulty to fit the strict one-hour session limit. Through rigorous pilot testing, we carefully balanced task complexity and cognitive load, ensuring the educational objectives were fully met within the timeframe without causing participant frustration.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the project's impact, we have implemented a multi-tiered measurement strategy that combines both qualitative and quantitative metrics:
1. Direct Feedback and Continuous Assessment (Qualitative):
Immediately following each Escape Room session, the Game Master leads a joint debriefing session with the participants. In this space, the key concepts addressed during the game—such as the operation of ADAS systems or the P.A.S. protocol (Protect, Alert, Secure/Succor)—are reviewed, and the degree of assimilation is evaluated. Furthermore, attendees' feedback regarding their overall satisfaction is collected, and suggestions for improvement are requested. This direct feedback allows us to refine the activity and validates the effectiveness of experiential learning compared to passive theoretical classes.
2. Long-Term Statistical Tracking (Quantitative):
Our most robust evaluation metric stems from our integration with the CIRCULA project framework. Through the analysis of the corporate Mobility Plans of participating companies, we monitor mid- to long-term accident statistics. This rigorous, data-driven approach allows us to objectively measure the actual reduction of between 10% and 15% in commuting (in itinere) and on-mission road accidents.
3. Institutional Reach and Dissemination (Global Impact):
We assess the overall impact of the project by monitoring engagement metrics and organic reach on social media. To this end, we analyze the dissemination achieved both by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) and our collaborating entities. Measuring this reach is vital to certify that the message is successfully propagated and that the initiative is actively transforming the corporate road safety culture within the business sector.
1. Direct Feedback and Continuous Assessment (Qualitative):
Immediately following each Escape Room session, the Game Master leads a joint debriefing session with the participants. In this space, the key concepts addressed during the game—such as the operation of ADAS systems or the P.A.S. protocol (Protect, Alert, Secure/Succor)—are reviewed, and the degree of assimilation is evaluated. Furthermore, attendees' feedback regarding their overall satisfaction is collected, and suggestions for improvement are requested. This direct feedback allows us to refine the activity and validates the effectiveness of experiential learning compared to passive theoretical classes.
2. Long-Term Statistical Tracking (Quantitative):
Our most robust evaluation metric stems from our integration with the CIRCULA project framework. Through the analysis of the corporate Mobility Plans of participating companies, we monitor mid- to long-term accident statistics. This rigorous, data-driven approach allows us to objectively measure the actual reduction of between 10% and 15% in commuting (in itinere) and on-mission road accidents.
3. Institutional Reach and Dissemination (Global Impact):
We assess the overall impact of the project by monitoring engagement metrics and organic reach on social media. To this end, we analyze the dissemination achieved both by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) and our collaborating entities. Measuring this reach is vital to certify that the message is successfully propagated and that the initiative is actively transforming the corporate road safety culture within the business sector.
What has been the effect of the activities?
1. Scope and Impact of the Activity
The training is delivered through sessions in small groups of 20 to 25 people. To date, the activity has directly impacted more than 200 workers. Furthermore, we estimate an indirect impact on over 10,000 employees, as the direct participants include Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Technicians, who are responsible for replicating and implementing these safety improvements within their respective companies.
2. Framework for Action and Results Achieved
This initiative is integrated into the CIRCULA project, a programme designed to distinguish and recognise organisations committed to Occupational Road Safety. To join and obtain this accreditation, companies must submit their Mobility Plans alongside measurable targets for reducing accident rates. Thanks to the joint implementation of these plans and our awareness-raising activities, current evaluations show a reduction of between 10% and 15% in commuting (in itinere) and on-mission accidents within the participating companies.
3. Effectiveness and Complementarity
The success and high effectiveness of this project lie in its strategic integration. The immersive experience is not an isolated action; rather, it directly complements the development and execution of each company's Mobility Plan. This dual approach ensures that awareness is not limited solely to the workforce but actively involves Executive Management and senior leadership. As a result, preventive measures reach their maximum potential and ensure the fulfilment of corporate safety objectives.
The training is delivered through sessions in small groups of 20 to 25 people. To date, the activity has directly impacted more than 200 workers. Furthermore, we estimate an indirect impact on over 10,000 employees, as the direct participants include Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Technicians, who are responsible for replicating and implementing these safety improvements within their respective companies.
2. Framework for Action and Results Achieved
This initiative is integrated into the CIRCULA project, a programme designed to distinguish and recognise organisations committed to Occupational Road Safety. To join and obtain this accreditation, companies must submit their Mobility Plans alongside measurable targets for reducing accident rates. Thanks to the joint implementation of these plans and our awareness-raising activities, current evaluations show a reduction of between 10% and 15% in commuting (in itinere) and on-mission accidents within the participating companies.
3. Effectiveness and Complementarity
The success and high effectiveness of this project lie in its strategic integration. The immersive experience is not an isolated action; rather, it directly complements the development and execution of each company's Mobility Plan. This dual approach ensures that awareness is not limited solely to the workforce but actively involves Executive Management and senior leadership. As a result, preventive measures reach their maximum potential and ensure the fulfilment of corporate safety objectives.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
The Road Safety Escape Experience for Workers project is an excellent model because it revolutionises Occupational Road Safety training, moving away from traditional, passive theoretical classes. By employing an immersive and experiential methodology (Escape Room), it directly addresses critical factors such as fatigue, stress, alcohol and medication consumption, distractions, and first aid. By placing the worker at the centre of the action, this approach ensures that employees internalise the consequences of risky behaviours in a safe environment, achieving a level of awareness unattainable through conventional interventions.
A core pillar of this project's success is the combination of gamification and multi-sectoral collaboration. We have demonstrated that uniting public bodies, prevention associations (ICASST, ATSPRLC), and emergency services (Spanish Red Cross) creates a much richer and technically validated training ecosystem. The main lesson for other organisations is that road safety must not be a mere bureaucratic formality, but a transversal educational experience that actively engages both the workforce and executive management.
Replicating a similar initiative is highly viable and accessible for other institutions. The project is designed with a modular architecture; its challenges are entirely open-ended and customisable. Just as we agilely adapted a puzzle concerning "Rescue Sheets" to address new ADAS technologies, any organisation can modify, add, or remove tasks to suit their local legislation or sector-specific risks without affecting the core essence of the activity. Furthermore, the use of AI-driven audio-visual narratives greatly facilitates the creation of adaptable, multilingual content, requiring only a modest investment to adapt the physical space and train the Game Master.
A core pillar of this project's success is the combination of gamification and multi-sectoral collaboration. We have demonstrated that uniting public bodies, prevention associations (ICASST, ATSPRLC), and emergency services (Spanish Red Cross) creates a much richer and technically validated training ecosystem. The main lesson for other organisations is that road safety must not be a mere bureaucratic formality, but a transversal educational experience that actively engages both the workforce and executive management.
Replicating a similar initiative is highly viable and accessible for other institutions. The project is designed with a modular architecture; its challenges are entirely open-ended and customisable. Just as we agilely adapted a puzzle concerning "Rescue Sheets" to address new ADAS technologies, any organisation can modify, add, or remove tasks to suit their local legislation or sector-specific risks without affecting the core essence of the activity. Furthermore, the use of AI-driven audio-visual narratives greatly facilitates the creation of adaptable, multilingual content, requiring only a modest investment to adapt the physical space and train the Game Master.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
To effectively share the project's methodology and results, we have established a comprehensive dissemination strategy structured around three main axes, leveraging institutional channels, professional networks, and digital platforms:
At the core of our outreach, the initiative is actively promoted by the Provincial Traffic Headquarters in Cantabria (DGT). This ensures the project is introduced to regional companies with the official backing of road education authorities. Moreover, the project is officially recognized as a best practice within the national DGT's '+ Talento' training program. This inclusion has already driven its promotion and successful replication in other Provincial Traffic Headquarters across Spain. Furthermore, by framing the activity within the CIRCULA project, it is directly offered to all adhered companies. This creates a network of corporate stakeholders who learn from these shared best practices while developing their own Mobility Plans.
We strategically rely on our external partners to cascade information directly to key decision-makers. The Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (ICASST), as an advisor to numerous companies in Cantabria on risk prevention, is an essential partner for disseminating the project across the regional corporate sector. In parallel, the Cantabrian Association of Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians (ATSPRLC) shares our methodology directly with professionals in the sector. These technicians act as key multipliers, taking the information back to their respective organizations to advocate for the activity's implementation.
To maximize outreach beyond the direct participants, we implemented an innovative dissemination strategy across television, press, and social media. A key milestone in this campaign was hosting a strategic, dedicated escape room session exclusively for journalists and representatives from Cantabria's leading media outlets. By allowing the press to experience the gamified learning firsthand, the initiative secured high-profile coverage on national news broadcasts of the Spanish public television network (RTVE), alongside various radio stations and news agencies. By combining this with the communication channels of the DGT, the Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, and collaborating entities such as the Spanish Red Cross, we have achieved a quantifiable impact: over 7,000 views on social media, 3,224 unique users (with 3,943 page views) in the digital press, and a presence in print media with a reach of 99,000 daily readers. This synergy fosters a true cultural transformation in occupational road safety. Furthermore, the experience transcends the game itself: to prolong the educational impact, each participant receives a first-aid kit and a brochure with QR codes, designed to be kept in the vehicle at all times in case of any emergency.
At the core of our outreach, the initiative is actively promoted by the Provincial Traffic Headquarters in Cantabria (DGT). This ensures the project is introduced to regional companies with the official backing of road education authorities. Moreover, the project is officially recognized as a best practice within the national DGT's '+ Talento' training program. This inclusion has already driven its promotion and successful replication in other Provincial Traffic Headquarters across Spain. Furthermore, by framing the activity within the CIRCULA project, it is directly offered to all adhered companies. This creates a network of corporate stakeholders who learn from these shared best practices while developing their own Mobility Plans.
We strategically rely on our external partners to cascade information directly to key decision-makers. The Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (ICASST), as an advisor to numerous companies in Cantabria on risk prevention, is an essential partner for disseminating the project across the regional corporate sector. In parallel, the Cantabrian Association of Senior Occupational Risk Prevention Technicians (ATSPRLC) shares our methodology directly with professionals in the sector. These technicians act as key multipliers, taking the information back to their respective organizations to advocate for the activity's implementation.
To maximize outreach beyond the direct participants, we implemented an innovative dissemination strategy across television, press, and social media. A key milestone in this campaign was hosting a strategic, dedicated escape room session exclusively for journalists and representatives from Cantabria's leading media outlets. By allowing the press to experience the gamified learning firsthand, the initiative secured high-profile coverage on national news broadcasts of the Spanish public television network (RTVE), alongside various radio stations and news agencies. By combining this with the communication channels of the DGT, the Cantabrian Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, and collaborating entities such as the Spanish Red Cross, we have achieved a quantifiable impact: over 7,000 views on social media, 3,224 unique users (with 3,943 page views) in the digital press, and a presence in print media with a reach of 99,000 daily readers. This synergy fosters a true cultural transformation in occupational road safety. Furthermore, the experience transcends the game itself: to prolong the educational impact, each participant receives a first-aid kit and a brochure with QR codes, designed to be kept in the vehicle at all times in case of any emergency.
