The role of the media in promoting traffic safety Sanja Ajevska

How the media can influence the raising of traffic culture and awareness The media is a powerful tool that through its actions and the transmission of messages manages to influence public opinion and change it. Mass media, or rather traditional media such as television and radio, still have a major impact on the public, despite the growing influence of new media, or the Internet.

Through continuous education, which in fact is the meaning of the term traffic culture Important information for all traffic participants Advices and recommendations

Which medium is the most appropriate for our problems? There is no medium that can be said to be the most appropriate and which can significantly influence the improvement of the traffic culture, since they are all important when it comes to the transmission of information, advices and recommendations. In the past it was much more difficult to transmit information to the wider public but today, thanks to the Internet and social networks, information can reach a large number of citizens in just a few seconds.

What does the cooperation of RCRTS with the media mean? Recognition by the public Trust for the work and activities Incentive for new challenges

How does RCRTS use the media? The cooperation and availability to the media is important for each institution. By continuous cooperation with the media, RCRTS succeeded to meet the public more closely with its activities and thereby to gain public confidence. It managed to do it through:

Presence in public through continuous activities and campaigns

Press releases Videos Educational events

Promotional material Creative messages

Advices Communication with the public

Activities on social networks RCRTS is present on social networks Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis. Activities, advices and recommendations for safe participation in the traffic are constantly published, and every message in just a few seconds is reaching a large number of citizens.

Messages sent by celebrities have a strong impact on the public Cooperation with people from the public sphere and support from the media always bring a positive result. The public wants to see famous faces, which is why the message sent by them is accepted with greater confidence. In some of the campaigns and activities of RCRTS appeared actors, singers, athletes and TV presenters who are always attractive for the public, but also for the media that transmit the messages sent by them.

True stories Despite the continuous advices, educational programmes and activities, the RCRTS team feels the need to transmit the true picture to the public about what is happening on the roads. True stories transmitted by people who have lost a loved one in a traffic accident always leaves a deep mark on readers and make them consider how they behave as traffic participants. Such is the story of a parent who lost his child on a pedestrian crossing, and heard about the news through the radio station because he worked as an official - a policeman.

Video with powerful message https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CERT0xNFGo4 On the 50th anniversary of the campaign for reducing the number of drivers driving under the influence of alcohol, with unusual video, the Think organisation has reminded all participants in the traffic that one dead person on the roads is even too much.

Conclusion: Media and journalists play an important role in increasing road safety. They can transmit the messages for safe participation in the traffic, promote the campaigns and activities, but also they can warn about certain events on the roads. Unfortunately, there are still media and journalists reporting only in the event of an accident in which there are victims. It needs to be changed! It is necessary for the media to send advice to the public on a daily basis, to analyze what is happening on the roads, to monitor the campaigns and activities of the respective bodies working to improve road safety, thus contributing to improving traffic safety and reducing the number of victims.

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