Lemonade Launches "Slow Sign" to Reward Safe Drivers

Lemonade, an insurance company based in New York City, has launched an innovative campaign called "The Slow Sign" in Austin, Texas, designed to encourage safe driving by rewarding motorists who adhere to speed limits. This digital sign, developed in collaboration with the creative agency Cash Studio, utilizes radar technology and a personalized messaging system to provide positive reinforcement to drivers. The sign is activated when a vehicle passes it at or below the posted speed limit. When this condition is met, a spotter positioned further down the road uses a walkie-talkie to identify the car's color and make. This information is then used to display a personalized compliment on the message board, such as "Obsessed With Your Safe Driving," "Way To Drive a Fast Car Slow," or "You Understood The Assignment." The initiative specifically targets Texas due to its high rate of car crashes, which exceed those in any other state. Ivan Cash, founder of Cash Studio, highlighted that despite Texas issuing a significant number of speeding tickets annually, research indicated that only 10% of drivers actually comply with the speed limit. This context underscores the campaign's objective to address a critical need for safer driving habits within the state. The "Slow Sign" represents a departure from traditional road signage, which can sometimes have unintended negative consequences. Research has indicated that certain types of negative messaging on roadway signs can actually lead to an increase in crashes. Conversely, the Federal Highway Administration has reported that the installation of speed signs can result in an average speed reduction of seven miles per hour. However, other electronic messages have not always yielded such positive outcomes, with some studies in Texas revealing that displays indicating the number of local road fatalities did not always achieve their intended effect of slowing drivers down. Lemonade's "The Slow Sign" aims to leverage positive psychology and personalized feedback to foster a culture of responsible driving, with the ultimate goal of reducing accidents and promoting their car insurance product, which offers lower rates for safe drivers. The campaign's location outside Austin was strategically chosen to maximize visibility and impact within a state that presents a significant challenge in terms of road safety.