Out to Shock....

When I returned from Germany, I was shocked by these adverts on telly regarding car accidents. You know the one with the healthy energetic girl, engaged in all sorts of exercises over the day, only to be hit by a car on her way home. Taken in the prime of her life! These adverts are really effective and make you feel quite nauseous, but I am thinking - if it works then that is fine by me.
This weekend I read a column in the latest TIME issue about accidents in France. About 2 years ago France had the highest road death count in all of Europe. In only one year they have dropped that rate about 20 %. How? A drop in speed limits, tougher policing and stiffer fines. But additionally they launched a "hard-hitting publicity campaign", where the government funded a "series of chilling anti-speeding commercials" accompanied by "graveside eulogies". This seems to work and if Icelanders pay as much attention to these adverts as they did to the VANISH commercials..well, our streets should be a lot safer. It certainly slowed me down!