As a demographic group risk takers are single, 18-29 years old, primarily male, highly competitive and success-driven. They face challenges head-on and refuse to recognize limitations. They feel invincible. Not surprising, this group makes up a significant percentage of military members in today’s all-volunteer Armed Forces.
Risk takers tend to drink to unwind or to relax with friends and they perceive drinking as a "rite of passage." They are vastly over-represented in drunk driving crashes, injuries and deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers this group to be its #1 target for anti-DUI messaging, education and enforcement.
This group is influenced by sports, music and pop culture. They get most of their information online, but they also enjoy magazines such as Sports Illustrated, Maxim, Rolling Stone and Car and Driver, and they watch cable networks like ESPN, HBO, MTV and Comedy Central. They tend to hang out with the people they work with, and their social lives revolve around sporting events, bars and parties…all that include alcohol.
Reaching this audience has challenged the military and highway safety and law enforcement communities for decades. Risk takers aren’t concerned about hurting themselves and they don’t perceive there is much risk of getting caught. The anti-DUI messages that work most effectively for this demographic are:
- Drinking and driving is irresponsible and dangerous
- Drinking and driving is a detriment to your career and future success
- True friends look out for each other
McDaniel incorporates all of this and more into his DOD Safety Training, but the messages are subtly woven throughout a highly entertaining program that has audiences laughing and cheering. He uses comedy, magic, pop culture references, audience participation, and hypnosis to engage and involve participants. His program consists of approximately 70 minutes of fun and laughter, but concludes with a shocking and highly effective finale that leaves audiences speechless…and often moved to tears. It’s one safety stand-down training session that audiences will not soon forget.