New Queensland motorcycle safety campaign – Be aware. Take care. Survive.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads is committed to addressing the safety of motorcyclists.
Motorcycle riders and pillions are highly vulnerable road users and are over represented in the road toll. They
are nearly 30 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than other vehicle drivers.*
The motorcycle road safety campaign Be aware. Take care. Survive. aims to reinforce positive riding behaviour and skills
amongst motorcyclists and to improve road safety by informing and changing the attitudes and behaviours of riders, as
well as drivers. It is hoped this will contribute to a reduction in the number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities in
Queensland.
*Per distance travelled based on research from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, 2002.
Campaign overview
Campaign background
Last year in Queensland (2010), motorcycle and pillion
fatalities made up approximately 20 per cent (20.1%) of all
fatalities as a result of road crashes. Despite this, they
represented less than five per cent of vehicle registrations.*
This campaign launched in July 2010. It builds on the
2007-2008 motorcycle safety campaign Be aware. Take
care. Survive. which encouraged riders to face the facts
about the risks they take on the road and take personal
responsibly for their behaviour. It has been developed in
consultation with the Motorbike Safety Working Group. The
department also ran a previous motorcycle safety
campaign in 2007-2008 called Think before you hit the
road. This campaign had a ‘share the road’ message for
motorcyclists and motorists.
* As at 31 December 2010, there were 161,276 motorcycles registered in
Queensland out of a total fleet of 3,554,043.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads’ motorcycle
road safety campaign Be aware. Take care. Survive.
encourages riders to understand their own heightened
vulnerability and realise their actions and choices can
greatly influence their level of risk.
The campaign aims to reduce motorcyclist fatalities and
serious injuries by encouraging riders to anticipate and
avoid risks by employing safe riding skills. It also
encourages other road users to keep an eye out for
motorcyclists as they have less protection in the event of a
crash.
The campaign consists of a 30sec television
advertisement, outdoor billboards placed on routes
frequented by riders, convenience posters locations
frequented by riders, a website
(www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au), online advertising and
a publication called the Queensland Motorcycle Riders’
Guide. The Riders’ Guide is an online resource for that
contains useful information on motorcycle licensing,
registration, road rules and safe riding techniques.
Community attitudes and awareness
Key findings of an independent tracking survey of
Queensland community attitudes and awareness
conducted on behalf of the department in August 2008
found that:

The majority of Queensland motorists (91%) feel that
motorcycle safety is an important road safety issue.

However only one third (35%) of Queensland motorists
feel that motorcycle riding is safe.

One in four Queenslanders (26%) feel motorcycle
riders and other traffic share the road safely.

Of those who feel motorcycle riders and other traffic do
not share the road safely:
o
most (72%) say that it is because motorcycle riders
are more likely to be exposed to risky situations on
roads.
o
69% feel motorcycle riders usually take risks
o
while 62% say that motorists don’t look out for
motorcycles.

Think before undertaking risky rider behaviour (the
top contributing factors in fatal motorcycle crashes
are drink driving, speeding, illegal manoeuvres and
rider inattention and negligence).

Ride to survive so you can continue to experience
your love of riding and the feeling of freedom it
provides.

Be Here for Life.
Campaign objectives
Motorist key messages:
The aims of the motorcycle safety campaign are
to:



Motorcyclists are vulnerable road users and have
less protection in the event of a crash.
reinforce positive riding behaviour and skills
bring a new life to the department’s motorcycle
safety messages and


Please keep motorcyclists in sight.
improve road safety by informing and changing
the attitudes and behaviours of riders, as well
as drivers, to contribute to a reduction in the
number of motorcycle crashes and fatalities in
Queensland.
Target audiences
Primary audience
Queensland male riders aged 17 to 49 years (in particular
30 to 39 years, who are more highly represented in
motorcycle-related fatalities statistics).
Key messages
Secondary audiences
Motorcycle riders:


Be aware. Take care. Survive.

Understand your heightened vulnerability on the
road.

Realise your actions and choices can greatly
influence your level of risk on the road.

Anticipate and avoid risks by employing safe riding
skills (road craft) and practices (wearing protective
clothing).

Understand the very nature of motorcycle riding
requires a more focused and complex skills set than
driving a car.
All other Queensland motorcycle riders and their
influencers.

Motorists and other road users (those potentially
involved in motorcycle-related crashes).
The primary target audience for this campaign is
motorcyclists although by choosing mass media such as
television, there is an inherent message for other road
users that motorcyclists are a vulnerable in the event of a
crash and the actions of other road users can cause
serious consequences for motorcyclists.
Campaign research

Convenience advertising (on the back of toilet doors)
This motorcycle safety campaign is a shift from
Convenience posted have been placed in toilets at
statistical/facts-based messages, which were used in the
previous motorcycle safety campaign, to focus on personal
responsibility and choice. This approach aligns with the
positive positioning of the department’s road safety
branding Here for Life.
eateries, petrol stations and other locations frequented
by riders, such as popular mountain ranges, to remind
motorcyclists about using safe riding skills when they
are on the road. These will appear from late-June to
the end of July 2011. The poster artwork has been
adapted from the New South Wales Road Traffic
Authority’s Curves campaign.
Campaign elements

A 30 second television commercial

The television advertisement Out here will air state-
Online
The current motorcycle website
wide from 22 May to 2 July 2011. The commercial
demonstrates a realistic situation that a motorcyclist
may encounter. A car driver cuts the motorcyclist off
and, to try to avoid a crash, the rider brakes heavily.
The motorcyclist then loses control and crashes.
(www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au) has been updated
and relaunched to tie in with the new campaign. Paid
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Optimisation
(SEO) is also being used to promote the motorcycle
safety website.
The ad goes on to provide defensive riding techniques
Other online tactics include Electronic Direct Mail
for motorcyclists for the purposes of avoiding a crash.
It urges riders to stay alert, ease back on their speed,
ride so they are visible to other road users, look ahead
for hazards and not travel too closely to other vehicles.
(EDM) sent to subscribers of the department’s Here for
Life electronic newsletter and online banner advertising
appearing on Facebook from late-May through June
2011.
The commercial does not lay blame. It encourages
both motorcyclists and other road users to share the
road safely. Television is an effective way to reach
motorcyclist and other road users (those who need to
look out for motorcyclists and are also involved in
motorcycle-related crashes).

Outdoor billboards
Outdoor billboards with the message ‘Out here. Be
aware. Take care. Survive’ have been placed at
locations frequented by riders on key such as along
popular mountain ranges to remind motorcyclists about
using safe riding skills when they are on the road.
These will appear from 23 May to mid-June 2011.

Publicity
The department produces a weekly online news
broadcast called ‘Road sense’ which is distributed to all
media throughout Queensland and features articles on
motorcycle safety. There is also a monthly road safety
advertorial called Shifting gears which appears in
nineteen major APN regional newspapers and also
features articles on motorcycle safety.
Campaign evaluation
As part of campaign development, television concepts
were tested with a cross section of active Queensland
motorcycle riders in Brisbane and Cairns in March and
April 2009 .This consisted of four focus groups with
motorcycle riders between 17 to 29 years and 30 to 49
years of age.
Of several different television concepts tested, the Out
here advertisement was preferred by the majority of
respondents. The key reasons motorcycle riders preferred
this television concept was they felt:

the approach was considered a realistic representation
of what a motorcyclist faces every day

it showed the rider has a choice – stay aware or face
the consequences
“This is the ad that grabbed my attention the most.
Seeing the accident build up and then play out was
very engaging. Then the quick sharp messages about
ways to avoid accidents were very effective.”
Younger male motorcyclist (17-29 years) – Cairns
“It had impact. I think that whether you are an
experienced rider or a learner rider, it reinforces things
that you can do and can control rather than things you
can’t.”
Younger male motorcyclist (17-29 years) – Cairns
“It reinforces what should be going through our minds

it was felt to be highly informative and

it was considered to be a good reminder of what
motorcyclists need to do and what skills are
paramount.
Some of the verbatim comments from motorcyclists
included:
“It shows a realistic situation with a possible result. And
it puts the responsibility on the rider in regard to their
position on the road.”
while we’re riding.”
Older male motorcyclist (30-49 years) – Brisbane
“It conveys the message to a rider of what and how
things can go wrong and tells you how to ride safer.”
Older male motorcyclist (30-49 years) – Brisbane
“It’s more realistic and I can relate to it personally. It
reminds me to use my existing skills.”
Older male motorcyclist (30-49 years) – Cairns
The department will also undertake a post-campaign
evaluation.
Younger male motorcyclist (17-29 years) –
Brisbane
“Use your brain and think about your surroundings or
you could have an accident. And that message was
driven home with the image of the motorcyclist
crashing.”
Younger male motorcyclist (17-29 years) –
Brisbane
Previous campaigns
The new campaign builds on the previous motorcycle
safety campaign Be aware. Take care. Survive. which
launched in May 2008. This campaign encouraged riders
to face the facts about the risks they take on the road and
take personal responsibly for their behaviour. It included
radio, a brochure, outdoor advertising, convenience
posters and relaunch of the interactive motorcycle safety
website www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au
This included:
There were two radio commercials aimed at riders and
motorists. The first reminded motorcyclists to ride safely
and the second encouraged motorists to 'keep motorcycles
in sight'. Many riders are also car drivers and this provided
an in-vehicle reminder of key campaign messages.
Outdoor-of-home advertising was targeted to key rider
hotspots. This consisted of fixed outdoor billboards,
advertising at petrol stations and posters in the toilets at
eateries along popular mountain ranges. Media placement
was restricted to high crash areas where motorcycle leisure
riding takes place, predominantly on weekends. These
areas included the Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, and Gold
Coast hinterlands, the four mountain ranges in the greater
Cairns area and on the Darling Downs.
In addition, during May and June 2008, all Queensland
registered motorcycle owners were sent a brochure with
key facts about their risks on the road and information on
precautions they should take. The integrated campaign
was supported by the motorcycle safety website.
An evaluation in 2008 of the campaign showed it was
effective at reaching the target audience. Overall, 96% of
motorcycle riders surveyed had some sort of awareness
(either unprompted or prompted) of the campaign.
Motorcycle riders had good unprompted recall for most
elements of the campaign: brochure (66%); radio ad
(49%); and billboards (38%). In addition, 63% of general
motorists were aware of at least one element of the
campaign (either unprompted or prompted).
The department also regularly conducts quantitative
market research using a telephone survey of 400 motorists
to assess attitudes and behaviours towards current road
safety issues.
Findings from the most recent research study undertaken
in June 2009 revealed:

Six in 10 respondents (60%) were aware of the
campaign with radio advertising performing the most
strongly. Overall 95% of respondents were able to
recall one or more messages from the campaign when
prompted.

o
“Last year, 1 in 5 road fatalities in Queensland
were motorcyclists”
o
“Please keep motorcyclists in sight” (aimed at
motorists)
o
“The average motorcyclist is 30 times more
likely to be killed in a crash than any other
vehicle occupant”
o
“Be aware. Take care. Survive.”
Overall 99% of respondents said the campaign
messages were easy to understand.
Prior to 2008, the department conducted a two-pronged
motorcycle safety campaign between July and September
2007 urging riders and motorists to share the road between
The first part of this campaign included 30 second statewide radio and television advertisements carrying a Think
before you hit the road message which ran from 15 July
until 29 July.
The television advertising was supported by outdoor
billboard advertisements which aired throughout August
across the state and September on the Gold Coast. In
addition a series of free community service
announcements were sent to state-wide press outlets for
publication.
The second component of this campaign involved a direct
mail out from August 2007 of a motorbike safety brochure
to all licensed and registered male riders aged 17 to 49
years in Queensland. Both phases of the campaign
referred to the motorcycle safety website
www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au
The department had not undertaken mass media campaign
activity specifically targeting motorcycle riders prior to the
Think before you hit the road campaign. However a rider
was depicted after a speed-related crash in a Fatal 4
commercial used in 2000-01. Public education activity prior
to 2007 predominately consisted of proactive publicity,
community service announcements and printed materials.
Further information
More detailed information, including advice for new and
experienced riders on choosing the right motorcycle,
appropriate safety gear, conducting pre-ride checks and
safe actions in emergency situations is available at the
motorcycle safety website
www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au
The campaign is also supported by an online resource for
motorcyclists called the Queensland Motorcycle Riders’
Guide. It is available to download from the motorcycle
safety website www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au
The Riders’ Guide aims to alert riders to the facts about the
risks they face on the road and encourage them to take
responsibility for their own safety by undertaking specific
protective behaviours and wearing protective clothing.
It also aims to encourage riders to brush up on motorcycle
road rules, their knowledge and skills and provides
information on licensing and registration processes in
Queensland.
There are animated demonstrations that have been
developed from the guide outlining safe riding techniques
and these are available at
www.motorcyclesafety.qld.gov.au
The guide has been developed following extensive
stakeholder consultation and referrals to similar
publications from the Road Transport Authority (New South
Wales) and the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and
Resources (Tasmania).