Government re-launch THINK! campaign in continued drive to improve road safety

UK government has announced the re-launch of ‘Travel Like You Know Them’, a THINK! campaign which highlights that road users are all people just trying to get from A to B.

The August 2023 campaign follows on from 29 January 2022 changes to The Highway Code, designed to improve road safety for people walking, cycling or horse riding.

The 2022 changes were communicated in 2 phases.  A factual awareness raising campaign ran in February-March 2022, followed by a broader behaviour change campaign, ‘Travel Like You Know Them’ in July-August 2022.   To continue embedding the changes and encouraging uptake of the guidance, ‘Travel Like You Know Them’ is re-launching in August 2023.

The campaign speaks to everyone who uses the road, with a focus on those who have a greater responsibility to reduce the risk that they may pose to others.

By offering a snapshot into the lives of everyday road users, we want to help people see more than vehicles on the road. The campaign aims to help all road users better understand each other and encourage positive behaviours to help keep everyone safe.

The campaign continues to raise awareness of key changes to the Highway Code guidance including giving way to pedestrians waiting to cross at junctions, cycling in the centre of the lane, passing distances and the Dutch reach, and will run across video-on-demand, radio, digital audio, online video, social and out-of-home for 6 weeks, from August 2023.

Increased visibility long overdue

Cycling Industry News, and a number of other organisations, have been heavily critical of the original 2022 campaign, specifically regarding its invisible nature, and the potential consequences confusion about what is and isn’t required, could have for all road users.