Don't Drink and Drive

By Jelena Jovanovic

Apatin, Aug. 31 2009 (Serbia Today) - The statistics of the Serbian Road Safety Committee shows that more than 900 people are killed in traffic accidents in Serbia every year. Comparing with other European countries safety in traffic in Serbia is very low.
The statistics showed stagnation in 2008, but the number of killed and injured people in traffic accidents this year is extremely high - there are on average185 traffic accidents each day, three persons per day are killed and more than 60 are injured.
On the list of the most often causes of deaths in traffic accidents are speed driving, avoiding of using safety belt and drunk- driving. Drunk-driving caused 2200 traffic accidents in 2008.
Considering this horrible black statistics, with an aim to make people to think more about themselves and the other participants in the traffic, Apatin Brewery started, in 2008, very important social campaign Don`t drink and drive. Brewery from Apatin , small town in Vojvodina (Northern Serbia) is manufacturer with long tradition, producer of some of the most popular beer brands in Serbia. Jelena Brajovic, Corporate Affairs Manager, told that Apatine Brewery , on the basis of the communication with its consumers, concluded that slogan Don`t drink and drive, had found its way to many people and motivated them to behave more responsibly in the traffic.
Apatin brewery started the campaign Don`t drink and drive last year in Beck`s Experience Music Festival, held in Belgrade Fair. As a supporter of the event, AB delivered badges with the slogan of the campaign and established cooperation with Lux Taxi, Belgrade Taxi Association. It enabled visitors of the Festival driving back home with the significant discount. The cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, followed, and Apatine Brewery donated devices for measuring the percentage of alcohol in blood. The campaign Don`t drink and drive was quite visible in the public thanks to the 50 billboards placed all over Belgrade and forcible TV campaign on the TV B 92.
This year Apatin Brewery continued cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Another 5 devices for measuring the percentage of alcohol in blood were donated and representatives of traffic police and Apatine Brewery had joint press conference and announced stronger traffic control and more cautious before Guca Trumpet Festival (and during the Festival). The campaign was promoted in Guca, as well as at the Belgrade Beer Fest, several weeks later. People were able to check level of alcohol in the blood and see if they were able to drive safely.
The presence of the campaign in such big Festivals means information and warning., and the main aim of the slogan that could be seen everywhere was to make people think about extreme danger of drunk-driving and convince them not to drive after drinking. People were able to remind themselves that alcohol ,even when it is in blood in very small percentage, influences all drivers – no matter how skilful or experienced they were. Alcohol consuming always has , as a result, bad observing, bad estimation and slow reactions. Many drivers, especially young, are not quite aware of those facts. And black statistics in Serbia show, very clearly, how fatal results of drunk-driving are. Therefore, significance of this, and other campaigns in Serbia is very big. Their main goal is to make traffic in Serbia more safe and people more aware of their role in the traffic and consequences of their risky behavior.
Jelena Brajovic from Apatin Brewery announced that campaign Don`t drink and Drive would be promoted in Student Cultural Center, at Jelen Pivo Live Festival, on September 18th and 19th. Jelen pivo Festival is a very popular annual event which presents popular foreign and domestic rock groups.
„We want to educate young people and therefore the whole space of Student Cultural Center would be branded by our slogan. Our TV and billboard campaign will also continue. Our goal is to keep reminding people about the importance of conscience behavior in the traffic.
“Plans for the future, Jelena Brajovic added, were to spread the campaign on the national level and to establish cooperation with other State institutions. And cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs will certainly continue.