Page 58 - Operation Lifesaver Estonia / Annual Report 2012

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© Operation Lifesaver is a international, non-profit education and awareness program dedicated to ending
tragic collisions, fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings and on railroad rights of way.
Founded in Estonia on 19 November 2004 - www.ole.ee
OLE sees the railway safety campaigns as a great way
of communicating with our target group. The short
campaigns communicated through TV, Internet and
outdoor media get audience’s attention and make
people think about the safety of railway crossing.
The longer is the period we draw people’s attention
to the threats present on railways, the higher is the
probability that they will change their behaviour.
The organisers of railway safety campaigns will
probably never stop arguing which is the best
method for discussing railway safety issues – using
shock therapy or respecting people’s ability to think
and explaining things in a calm manner. Since the
beginning of its activities, OLE has chosen the
second method. Of course, we admit that shocking
the audience has its positive effects and a well
envisaged argument with disturbed members of
public would help to keep up the topic for a longer
period but we do not see it as the most essential
thing. We find that professional but emotional safety
messages with good arguments stay in people’s
minds and have a better effect.
Since our first campaigns we have treated our
audience as people who are able to think and have
their hearts in the right place. We believe that this
approach allows our campaigns to reach a wider
audience and work slowly but firmly.