Alberta: Province launches website to engage young drivers

‘No Fun Being Dead’ uses dark humour to teach traffic safety

The province has launched a provocative website that uses dark humour to teach young drivers serious traffic safety lessons.
The No Fun Being Dead website, geared towards tech-savvy 14 to 24-year-olds, features zombies, games, an interactive quiz, podcasts and the Grim Reaper as a talk-radio host to drive home the message that reckless driving behaviours have serious consequences.

Statistics show that teen drivers are more likely to be in a collision than drivers in any other age group. Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death and injury among youth in Alberta. Young drivers aged 14-24 are also most likely to commit driver errors such as tail-gating, running off the road and improper left-hand turns, as well as engage in unsafe behaviours including speeding; distracted and impaired driving; and not wearing seatbelts.
The No Fun Being Dead website addresses these core traffic safety issues in an engaging and interactive way that resonates with young drivers. The innovative website was originally developed by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia in 2006 and enjoyed tremendous success with more than 100,000 visits per month.

The Alberta Government is licensing the rights to operate the website for two years. This includes full access to promotional videos, podcasts and posters. The website has been customized to reflect Alberta’s traffic safety concerns and will be run as a pilot campaign in Edmonton for May 2009 and, pending pilot results, a second campaign in May 2010 covering multiple markets.

The province is also partnering with the Insurance Bureau of Canada on this project, and Edmonton radio station The Bounce will promote the website in conjunction with online advertising and promotional activities in senior high schools and post-secondary institutions in Edmonton.
As part of the Traffic Safety Plan, young drivers are the focus for education efforts throughout the month of May.
To view the No Fun Being Dead website, go to www.nofunbeingdead.com.

Source