Singaporean firm Budget Direct Insurance is offering a cash reward to motorists who submit dashcam footage of poor driving and motorcycling behaviour.
According to the online insurer, it will boycott the offending motorists caught on camera and ban them from purchasing its car and motorcycle insurance products. The move, it said, aims to create a safer driving environment in Singapore by shaming those who engage in risky driving behaviour.
The campaign, known as ‘Drive Safe Today’, wants to make sure that the company insures only good drivers, therefore minimising claims and keeping premiums down. It will be conducted in cooperation with Beh Chia Lor, a Singaporean motoring community based on Facebook.
“There are several online sites filled with footage of bad drivers,” said Simon Birch, the insurer’s CEO. “We are planning to go one step further by not only rewarding motorists for sending in their videos but also boycotting the offending number plates from being insured with us.”
Budget Direct is no stranger to unconventional marketing tactics, such as using a sock puppet as its endorser. While the campaign may have some positive objectives, there could also be issues regarding privacy, given the widespread and unpredictable nature of social media.
Reactions on Beh Chia Lor’s Facebook page have been mixed, with some commenters wondering whether such publicity was legal, while some suggested that the campaign should instead focus on highlighting good driving.
