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AAA Minneapolis 'Fasten & Focus' CampaignDrivers distracted by their cell phones cause an estimated 2,600 traffic deaths -- and 330,000 accidents resulting in injuries -- each year, says a Harvard study. In fact, four out of five car crashes are due to drivers who were distracted just three seconds before a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission. AAA-Minneapolis, a 185,000-member traffic safety organization, responded to this crisis by hiring Maccabee Group as its communications partner. The result was "Fasten and Focus," an advocacy and community outreach program which launched with a "Twin Cities Driving Behavior" survey. The group's research revealed that more than three-quarters of Twin Cities drivers (ages 18-34) snack and 70 percent talk on cell phones while they drive. One in three young adults even try to text message while they're behind the wheel!To reinforce safer driving practices, Maccabee Group helped AAA-Minneapolis design a strategy that began with a seat belt fashion show (inspired by the Bravo TV series, "Project Runway") called "Project Beltway," in partnership with the Minneapolis-based Textile Center. "Project Beltway" challenged high-school age fashion designers to create clothing made from 3,000 feet of seat belt webbing. Celebrity judges KARE-TV anchor Rena Sarigianopoulos and Mall of America trend specialist Sarah Rogers - with Fox-9 TV traffic reporter Juli Jay as host -- enlivened an event that was featured 10 times on three Twin Cities TV stations (KARE-TV, KSTP-TV and FOX 9 -TV). The stories reached more than 800,000 Twin Cities residents with AAA's driver safety message, and the Minneapolis and Saint Paul daily newspapers (along with YouTube) prominently featuring "Project Beltway's" seat belt fashions! The second stage of AAA-Minneapolis' "Fasten and Focus" strategy was the creation of a distracted driving obstacle course at two Hennepin County high schools. Maccabee Group arranged to have student drivers try to navigate a car with caster wheels called the "Skid Monster," sponsored by partner Training Wheels Driver Education, through an obstacle course. To remind students about the importance of focusing on the road, the students were also asked to perform unsafe tasks in the car -- texting on their cell phones, fixing their hair, applying makeup and even eating while driving. The riveting footage of the high school drivers knocking over cones and fishtailing out of control while driving distracted at AAA-Minneapolis events was seen throughout the Twin Cities on FOX-9 TV, KARE-TV and KSTP-TV, with online video stories posted to myFox9.com and KARE-TV.com. |
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     "Project Beltway was a breakthrough event for us and surpassed all of our expectations. Maccabee Group staff were invaluable in helping us bring sophistication, professionalism and attention to every detail in the planning and execution of this unique venture." - Rod Shilkrot - Vice President-Marketing INDUSTRY RELATED: |  |
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