RSA offers no further comment on withdrawn ‘Crashed Lives’ ad
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has refused to comment further on the topic of a discontinued TV advert highlighting the danger of unaccompanied learner drivers.
‘Crashed Lives’, an RSA campaign, aired the ad featuring Kilworth farmer Noel Clancy, who lost his wife Geraldine and daughter Louise in a crash close to their home involving an unaccompanied learner driver.
In the ad, Mr Clancy spoke about the impact that the crash had on his life and family.
After less than two months, the ad was withdrawn and never replaced.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy recently issued a parliamentary question in relation to the advert, requesting the total cost to produce it. Deputy Murphy also queried details such as the cost to broadcast the ad, the number of weeks it was aired for, and the reason for it being discontinued in February of 2019.
The Minister for Transport was also requested to make a statement on the matter.
“As the information requested is held by the Road Safety Authority, this question is being referred to the Authority for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days,” the response came at the time.
A recent article in the Irish Independent newspaper noted that an RSA spokesperson refused to comment further on the issue when questioned about the precise reason for withdrawing the ad.
Locally and online, the ad is understood to have generated debate when it aired.
‘ABANDONED’ BY THE R.S.A.
At the time, Mr Clancy said that the aim of the advert was to be hard-hitting.
“The director and the two researchers came down here and I said to them I wanted it to be as hard-hitting as possible. I didn’t want it to be some bland, in one ear, out the other ear job. It’s too late for me and my wife and daughter, but what I set out to do was try and spare other families the hell that was inflicted on our family,” he said.
Following the RSA’s decision to stop broadcasting the ad, Mr Clancy said he believed raising awareness of the risks posed by inexperienced motorists driving without supervision is no longer a priority for the RSA.
According to a recent Independent article, Mr Clancy said he felt both he and the issue of unaccompanied learner drivers had been ‘abandoned’ by the RSA.
“There’s nothing now to keep this aspect of road safety in focus. When they were taking off the ad, they told me they were going to make another ad in much the same vein and that has never happened,” he said.
An RSA spokesperson said the Authority had run radio, digital and social media advertising tackling the problem of unaccompanied learner driving over the years, but noted that there had not been another TV ad on the topic.