Students from SADD, which stands for Students Against Dangerous Driving, want all New Zealanders to think a little deeper this Labour weekend.

And they've come up with an innovative way to share their message.

During Labour weekend 2020, eight people died on New Zealand roads which was a considerable increase on the single fatality in 2019 and was the biggest rise in consecutive years since records started in 1980 for this holiday weekend.

SADD National Leader Jess Darnley, a year 13 student at Albany Senior High School, has created a portfolio of road safety stickers to use on social media as a new way to help Kiwis share messages about keeping safe on our roads.

The stickers have already been viewed more than four million times.

'When I was using social media to spread messaging or chat about road safety, I noticed that there was a lack of social media stickers focusing on Aotearoa's roads,” says Jess.

'Where I would normally use a sticker to make a point I couldn't find any. So, I did some research, found out how to make them and came up with my own with SADD's support. Now we have a range of stickers focused on Aotearoa's road safety and SADD, including a specific sticker for this Labour weekend. I'd like to see them used to raise awareness that we all have the right to make it home.

'You can use any of the stickers in your Instagram stories by searching for ‘SADDNZ' in the sticker search function, or on Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, Twitter or even TikTok. You can use the stickers to spread road safety messages no matter what app you use.”

Jess has created a short instructional video to help others access the stickers: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkzmc7hVHg/

'SADD students realise that when New Zealand has a national holiday many get a day off, but for some, it is the last weekend they will enjoy with their families,” says SADD National Manager Donna Govorko.

'You only have to ask those who are affected to understand why SADD students are so passionate about preventing people being killed or seriously injured on our roads. There's no better example than someone wanting to make a difference by thinking laterally and adopting digital means like Jess has done.

'Speed continues to be a major factor in fatal and serious injury crashes and many vehicles involved in crashes recently have had more than just a driver in them. If you are a passenger – speak up and tell the driver to slow down or stop. It may be the most important 20 seconds of your life and in the lives of others,” says Donna.

"Being safe is not just about deciding how to drive, it is also deciding whether to be a passenger,” says Albany Senior High School year 12 student Aimee Bonne.

'Speeding makes it so easy to lose control, it kills,” says – Southland's Fiordland College year 12 student Emma Wilson.

"On the roads, speed is an essential factor to keep an eye on. The faster you are going, the worse the outcome will be if you crash. Speed limits are there to keep everyone safe. We simply ask that you keep your speed to the limit so you can avoid a serious crash,” says New Plymouth's Sacred Heart Girls College year 12 student Derryn Fleming.

SADD's new social media collateral can be found at:

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