As bicyclists are still being killed by motorists at an alarming rate (anything greater than zero should be alarming) the Iowa Bicycle Coalition took to the airwaves this summer to remind motorists to slow down, pass safely, and save lives on the roads.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition has concluded a bike safety radio campaign launched on July 1, 2018. The radio campaign played 15 and 30-second public service announcements urging drivers to pass bicyclists safely by slowing down and changing lanes when it is safe to pass. The advertisements ran on 66 radio stations across Iowa with coverage in 83 counties. A total of 578 spots ran with a total of 2.5 hours of airtime dedicated to the safety message. The campaign cost $20,000, but with in-kind donations, $25,000 of advertising was played on stations.
This is the second time, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition has run this campaign with support from the Iowa DOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program. Learfield Communications and the Des Moines Radio Group also provided matching in-kind advertising for the campaign. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition also dedicates a portion of it’s Google advertising campaign to the safe passing message.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is a grassroots organization of bicyclists from across Iowa advocating to make bicycling safe and accessible for all. The mission of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is to promote safe and enjoyable bicycling in Iowa through education, events, better policy, and growing a community of supporters. You can join today at www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/join.
