Social Marketing Will Assist in Changing Behavior of Road Users

During the last few years, ARUP (with the sponsorship of the World Bank and National Highway Authority) has been devoting its energy and resources on initiatives aimed at creating awareness of stakeholders towards the need for raising road safety standards in Pakistan.

It is important to realize that knowledge and information about dangers or harmful effects of a particular behavior do not necessarily lead to a change in that behavior. For example dangerous practices such as riding a motorcycle without a helmet, driving a motorcar without wearing a seat belt or using a mobile telephone while driving a vehicle. In such cases, the real barrier to change is not ignorance but the inability or unwillingness to act.

Enlightening road users/stakeholders about safety practices is clearly not enough. There is an urgent need to develop strategies that will influence road users to adopt safe practices. The Important new discipline of Social Marketing which is gaining popularity in social sector organizations across the world, should also be introduced and used in Pakistan, in order to induce change in the behavior of road users. The aim in social marketing for the road sector will be to move road users towards awareness, interest, desire and action for improving standards of road safety and observance courtesy on the roads of Pakistan.

ARUP welcomes suggestions from all road users and other concerned citizens in respect of strategies which will assist us in changing the behavior of road users in Pakistan.

Please convey your suggestions to Khawaja Raffat Zaheer, Secretary General ARUP, Karachi arupkhi@cyber.net.pk