The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) has launched Blooms for Blokes, which the insurer deemed a thought-provoking road safety campaign for men.
According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads data from Jan. 01, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2022, men are three times more likely to die on Queensland roads than women. In the past five years, 995 men died on Queensland roads, compared to 317 women.
“We believe there are a range of factors driving the statistics. Generally, men are more likely to engage in risky behaviour which significantly increases the chance of a serious crash. Men are also more likely to be behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle or riding a motorcycle, and these are two groups that make up a significant proportion of the road toll,” said RACQ general manager of advocacy Joshua Cooney.
RACQ's Blooms for Blokes campaign calls on people to reach out to men in their lives and remind them to drive safely.
Cooney said the campaign centres on the idea that men often receive flowers for the first time at their funeral.
“We want to invite Queenslanders to gift the men in their lives a flower while they're alive, tell them how much they'd be missed if they were gone, and motivate them to be safe on the road,” Cooney said.
The campaign kicked off in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall yesterday, August 22, as part of the Queensland Road Safety Week. One of the RACQ vintage patrols was filled with 995 flowers to represent the male road toll.
“We're urging people to come and collect a flower, sign a Blooms for Blokes card, and gift it to a man to remind them to stay safe behind the wheel,” Cooney said.
The campaign will roll out across Queensland, with flowers and cards available in RACQ stores and billboards emphasising the message in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Gladstone, and Mackay.
Early this year, RACQ called on motorists to be careful while driving, noting that around 1,200 people are killed on roads across Australia annually.
