Local TV Stations Nationwide Celebrate 15 Years of Saving Lives with Project Roadblock

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Anti-Drunk Driving Initiative Reminds Holiday Revelers to Drive Sober

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Dec 13, 2018, 11:12 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To make American roads safer during the holiday season, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) and Ad Council today announced the launch of the 15^th annual "Project Roadblock" effort, the largest annual TV station-supported initiative of a single PSA campaign. Under the Project Roadblock banner, local broadcast TV stations donate airtime to support the national "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" public service advertising (PSA) campaign from the Ad Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Holiday Party | Project Roadblock | Ad Council

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8462751-ad-council-project-roadblock-anti-drunk-driving/

Since 2004, local broadcast TV stations have participated in Project Roadblock by airing Buzzed Driving Prevention PSAs between December 26 and 31, including a simultaneous airing on New Year's Eve at 10 p.m. local time. To date, local broadcast TV stations across the nation have donated over $66 million in media to support this effort, including $7.9 million in 2017 alone.

"The dedication local broadcast TV stations show to this lifesaving message every year is truly remarkable," said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council. "We're so proud to celebrate 15 years of Project Roadblock and keeping our communities and roads safe during the holidays."

"The holiday season should be one of the happiest times of the year, but when drinking and driving mix, it turns into one of the deadliest ones," said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi King. "For 15 years, Project Roadblock has been spreading the message through donated airtime on TV stations across the country that Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving, helping us ensure Americans have a safe season on the roads."

In recognition of Project Roadblock's fifteenth anniversary, the Ad Council and TVB are conducting additional outreach to TV stations in the 15 states that accounted for nearly two-thirds (65%) of all alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2017: Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Michigan, New York, Arizona, Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee.

"Local broadcast TV stations strive to provide integral news and lifesaving information to their communities every day," said Steve Lanzano, President and CEO of TVB. "Proudly participating in Project Roadblock since its inception 15 years ago, local broadcasters have increased awareness of this critical initiative and helped make roads safer across the United States during the holidays."

Over 1,000 local broadcast TV stations from all 50 states have already pledged their support for Project Roadblock 2018. Broadcast groups ABC; CBS; Cox Media; Entravision Communications Corporation; Graham Media; Gray Television, Inc.; Hearst Television; ION Media Networks; Liberman Broadcasting; NBC; Nexstar Media Group, Inc.; Sinclair; Tegna, Inc.; Telemundo; Tribune Media Company; Univision Communications; and Weigel Broadcasting have pledged full support from their stations.

Participating stations will exclusively debut a new TV spot, created pro bono by media and creative agency OMD and production company HYFN, which features a young man identifying one of his buzzed warning signs and making the decision to take a ride share home instead of driving. This is the first in a series of seasonal PSAs created by OMD to be released throughout the year, all of which end with the tagline "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving," reminding drivers to find a safe way to get home instead of getting behind the wheel.

Extreme Reach, the cloud technology platform for TV & Video ad workflow and Talent & Rights management, has donated support to this year's Project Roadblock effort.

For more information about Project Roadblock, visit tvb.org/projectroadblock, and follow the campaign online using hashtag #ProjectRoadblock on Facebook and Twitter.

DATA SOURCE
NHTSA.gov: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving

NHTSA
For more than four decades, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving automobile safety on our nation's roadways. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of safety belts and car seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.

The Ad Council
The Ad Council brings together the most creative minds in advertising and media to address the most worthy causes. Its innovative, pro bono social good campaigns raise awareness. They inspire action. They save lives. To learn more, visit AdCouncil.org, follow the Ad Council's communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view the creative on YouTube.

TVB
TVB is the not-for-profit trade association representing America's $21 billion local broadcast television industry. Its members include over 800 individual television stations, television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps, syndicators, international broadcasters and associate members. TVB actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the advertising community and works to develop advertising dollars for the medium's multiple platforms, including on-air, online and mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources, including tvb.org, to support its members and to help advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars.

SOURCE The Ad Council