Sydney, Australia – To highlight the importance of those drivers returning to driving after experiencing road trauma, car servicing brand mycar Tyre &Auto has teamed up with TBWA\Sydney and Eleven to launch a campaign that features the initiative ‘Return Plates’ (R Plates). This recognises drivers returning to the road after suffering trauma or following a significant break from driving.
The R Plate aims to encourage empathy from other road users, so returning drivers will feel less pressure, giving them time and space to recover.
Said initiative connects drivers with links to local and national support services, making help available at any time as well as providing access to real stories and the science behind road trauma recovery. R Plates sees mycar Tyre & Auto continue to build on its brand platform.
To properly launch the initiative, the campaign tapped Dr. Jason Thompson, associate professor at the University of Melbourne, for his expertise in psychology, transportation and post-injury rehabilitation.
Commenting on the campaign, he says, “People talk about the physical injuries associated with car accidents, but we often overlook the psychological impact associated with the experience. It is a huge burden that Australia carries, it’s an issue we can do something about and this campaign is a great start.”
Adele Coswello, chief customer officer at mycar Tyre & Auto, said, “Our research shows that despite being a nation of confident drivers (89%), almost half of Australians (43%) have lost their confidence at some point, with around three-quarters (73%) having been affected by a road incident.”
She added, “At mycar, we are committed to putting people first, so supporting drivers returning to the road made complete sense. With R Plates, we are helping to signify to other road users that the driver is going through something that otherwise can’t be seen, encouraging empathy and extra care. Returning to the road is also a return to freedom, independence and confidence.”
Meanwhile, Evan Roberts, chief creative officer at TBWA\Sydney, commented, “There have been many people involved in bringing this initiative to life. While this is just the beginning I would like to take a moment to thank our incredible clients, production partners and, of course, our own people who have given so much to this project.”
