Traffic safety authorities are well aware of the complexity of the persuasion task, which they face. Unlike marketing campaigns for consumer products such as soap, which take people as they are and offer them what they desire, marketing campaigns for traffic safety are aimed at changing people. The persuasive message is likely to be: "Do not continue what you are doing because you like it, but please change because it is good for you and others - even if you don't like it". This paper deals with the mechanisms of traffic safety campaigns, mass communication and behavioural changes among individuals. Mass media communications are more likely to have an effect on an individual when the message conveyed capitalise on attitudes and motives already existing in the population and produce facts leading to an easily available course of action serving these attitudes and motives. The paper introduces the concept of life cycle into the traffic safety work. People want to grow old and celebrate the various life stages and achievements. Positive traffic safety messages focusing on the value of life should therefore keep the communicators' viewpoints and the road users' understanding of the value of life in agreement with each other. The "Traffic of Life" project wants to capitalise on this attitude which already exists by bringing messages which will enhance an attitude in such a way that road users, parents, teachers, politicians, etc. will become part of a group of people who can serve as an agent of change.
Samenvatting