Rate the ISP’s road rage radio ad
Thursday, Jan 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ISP press release from a few weeks ago…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) is launching an educational, public awareness campaign focused on reducing incidents involving road rage. The new campaign, Road Rage. Don’t Engage. is designed to raise awareness about an increase in road rage incidents leading to violence, as well as educate the public on the signs of road rage and tips on how to prevent and handle these situations.
“Although road rage is nothing new, we’re seeing people react more aggressively and dangerously,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The message is simple – if you see or become part of a road rage situation, don’t engage. That extra car length you gain by cutting someone off, or arriving 10 seconds earlier by tailgating another person, is not worth your life.”
ISP developed a campaign to raise public awareness about road rage and the disturbing trend. The campaign consists of social media, including a social media toolkit, along with billboards and radio ads in strategic markets. ISP Safety Education Officers across the state will continue to educate the public on the dangers of road rage and how to deal with the dangerous behavior.
More information, including the social media ads can be found here.
The ISP says that while the number of interstate shootings was down more than 30 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, shootings involving road rage “have increased over the past two years.” Southern Illinois University helped produce the radio spots.
* The thirty-second radio ad running in Chicagoland is striking. A longtime subscriber reached out to me yesterday and asked if I’d heard it. I hadn’t, so I obtained a copy from the ISP.
The spot begins with the sound of gunshots and warns listeners that the other driver may have a gun…
Script…
[Sound of gunshots]
Announcer: Listen! Road rage is escalating on Chicago’s expressways. Road rage drivers are using guns to shoot at other drivers.
[Sound of screeching tires]
Driver: Stay in your lane! Come on, man!
Announcer: So when driving, be aware and stay calm. A driver with road rage may have a gun! And if you encounter road rage, don’t engage.
Sponsored by the Illinois State Police. Aired in cooperation with the Illinois Broadcasters Association and this station.
The 60-second ad is here.
