Daytona
The Daytona 500 is regarded as the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar. It is the Sprint Cup Series’ first race of the year, held on the last Sunday of February and has an estimated 250,000 attendance in addition to the highest television rating of any auto race since 1995. This equates to millions seeing or being familiar with the race. And that’s just on Sunday.
On the Saturday before, the NASCAR Infinity Series takes place and for 2015, the season opener was the Alert Today Florida 300. The miles and attendance may be slightly less, but being the titled sponsor has it advantages. If you are wondering why I would tell a race car story during Florida Bike Month, here’s the reason:
Alert Today Alive tomorrow mesage not just center stage, but the entire stage.
As part of FDOT Secretary Prasad’s initiative, the “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” campaign is being presented via TV, radio, social media, transit advertising, local education, and enforcement activities. In 2013, the media campaign was rolled out in ten Florida Counties with the highest numbers of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities and injuries. The message that “Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident” is a reminder for all roadway users to pay attention and follow the rules of the road.
NASCAR fans at Daytona saw this message in numerous places throughout Daytona International Speedway during Speedweeks.
Race fan engagement took place at the ATAT booths, one located at the Daytona Speedway Fan Zone and one at the Daytona Speedway Midway. To receive a goodie bag that included a bike/ped law synopsis, bike/ped safety tip card and T-shirt, one not only had to take a safety survey, but go over the answers with ATAT staff. Discussing bike/ped safety and not just handing out swag is KEY for information to be remembered and hopefully retained.
A day at the track included Bike/Ped safety education and awareness, then you received the goodie bag.
Over 3,000 goodie bags were distributed throughout the weekend with surveys collected and data waiting to be crunched to determine what folks know, what they think they know, and what concerns they currently have.
ATAT staff goes over safety survey with one race fan as others record their answers.
It was reassuring to see folks on Sunday wear their Alert Today Florida 300 T-shirts to the Daytona 500. We hope all the recipients wear their shirt often to continue to spread the word. It’s a bright shirt with an important message:
Every Life Counts – Safety Doesn’t Happen By Accident
The Florida Bicycle Association is proud to partner with the Florida Department of Transportation and the “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” safety campaign. “Alert Today Alive Tomorrow” has made numerous appearances at non-bicycle events including Jacksonville Jaguar and Miami Heat games, Major League Baseball Citrus Series games, Dirt Track events and is a partner of NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse. Click here to read about Scott and his role as race car driver and avid cyclist.
