TVB, NHTSA & Ad Council Partner to Prevent Drunk Driving Fatalities During the Holidays

NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), the not-for-profit trade association of America's commercial broadcast television industry, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Ad Council launched their 11^th year of "Project Roadblock: Local TV Puts the Brakes on Drunk Driving." Launched in December 2003, Project Roadblock is the local broadcast television industry's extension of NHTSA and the Ad Council's 'Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving' PSA campaign. Since then, the multi-media campaign has served as an opportunity for local television stations to combat drunk driving by donating on-air, online and mobile advertising time and space for the PSAs. To date, broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated more than $34 million in media to support this effort.

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Project Roadblock 2014 will take place during the holiday week from December 26 to December 31, a period which, according to NHTSA, typically sees one of the highest incidence rates of drunk driving fatalities. The stations will create a nationwide PSA message-roadblock by airing "Buzzed Driving" spots at 10 p.m. (local time) on participating stations.

Last year, Project Roadblock received $5.5 million in donated media with participating stations reaching 99% of U.S. TV households. In honor of Project Roadblock's 10^th anniversary, on December 31, 2013 alone, $1.3 million in media support was donated for the first 10 p.m. PSA roadblock. According to a 2013 national survey[1] conducted by the Ad Council, only eight percent of adults age 21 and over said they would be "extremely" or "very" likely to drive home while buzzed, down nearly 50 percent from the 2005 survey. Most notably, a higher percentage (49 percent) said they would "always" get a ride, taxi or public transport rather than drive if they felt buzzed, an increase of 17 percent from 2005.

"Working with our safety partners we hope to spread an important message this holiday season: that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman.  "Deciding your role as either the drinker or the driver before the party begins is essential to your safety and the safety of others."

Steve Lanzano, president and CEO of TVB added, "For 11 straight years, broadcast TV stations have demonstrated their commitment to the safety and well-being of the local communities they serve across the United States. Whether saving lives with emergency news or weather information or through drunk-driving education, TV station owners are proud to donate the unmatched power of their over-the-air broadcast as well as their digital online and mobile platforms, to help make the holiday season safe for our families, friends and neighbors."

Local television stations will air the campaign's suite of drunk driving PSAs, created pro bono by New York-based advertising agency Merkley+Partners. The PSAs, including new 10-second English and Spanish versions of "Neon Signs," will continue to reinforce the financial consequences of buzzed driving in an effort to communicate that getting pulled over for buzzed driving can cost around $10,000 in fines, legal fees, and increased insurance rates. In addition to airing the new spots, TV stations will reach out to their communities on social media channels to prevent buzzed driving. Extreme Reach, a leading provider of TV and digital video advertising solutions, donated the television distribution in support of this year's Project Roadblock effort.

"Project Roadblock has made considerable strides educating drivers and increasing mindfulness on the road during the busy holiday season," said John Roland, CEO of Extreme Reach. "This is an important issue and we're pleased to advance a message that can help save lives."

"Fatalities related to drunk driving are horrific, and 100 percent preventable. The spike in driving while buzzed around the holiday season is especially alarming, and the Ad Council is proud to team up with these dedicated partners to prevent this issue," said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "These PSAs are great reminders during the holiday season, and TVB and its membership have made a huge difference in raising awareness of making safe choices." 

For more information about Project Roadblock 2014 visit tvb.org/projectroadblock.

About NHTSA
For more than four decades, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of safety belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of drunk drivers; regulating safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov.

About TVB
TVB is the not-for-profit trade association of America's commercial broadcast television industry. Its members include television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps, syndicators, international broadcasters, associate members and over 500 individual television stations. TVB actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the advertising community, and in so doing works to develop advertising dollars for the medium's multiple platforms, including on-air, website and mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources, including www.tvb.org, to support its members and to help advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars.

About The Advertising Council
The Ad Council is a non–profit organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of PSA campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to affect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action, and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org. You can also visit www.facebook.com/adcouncil or follow the Ad Council on Twitter @AdCouncil.

[1] The Ad Council survey was conducted online by Lightspeed Research, Inc. from January 9-18, 2013. The sample consisted of 512 U.S. adults ages 21+ from across the nation.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7391951-ad-council-tvb-nhtsa-partner-to-prevent-drunk-driving-fatalities-during-holidays/

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SOURCE The Ad Council