Scotland Drunk Driving Campaign Goes Online

The Scottish government plans to promote its campaign against drunk driving by sponsoring billboards in Xbox 360 videogames.

The BBC is reporting on a government plan to spend roughly $20,000 on the initiative, which will see ads posted on billboards in games including Need For Speed: Carbon, Project Gotham Racing 4 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008. The effort is aimed primarily at young people, who make up the bulk of the online gaming audience.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said, “With statistics showing that road deaths, particularly among young people, are continuing to rise, it is clear we must look at new ways of getting road safety messages across. This is exactly the kind of initiative we should be trying.”

“It is innovative, it is new and it is far removed from the more traditional methods we have been using,” he continued. “I believe that is what we need if we are to reverse the number of Scots families suffering the tragedy of a loved one being lost.”

And Road Safety Scotland Director Michael McDonnell added, “I believe the positioning of the drink-drive message in online games will serve as an ever-present reminder to young Scots about the consequences. The online message could not be any simpler: ‘Don’t risk it.'”