Motorists – Skin Back Alley

An acoustic cover of the Guns N’ Roses song “Sweet Child O’ Mine” has been used to soundtrack a brutal road safety advertisement depicting the deaths of 28 children.

The advert was made by Northern Ireland’s government to highlight the statistic that, since the year 2000, nearly 30 children have been killed by speeding motorists in the country.

The visuals are stark and shocking – so much so that the advertisement is not allowed to be shown before the 9pm watershed. But Mark Durkan, Northern Ireland’s Road Safety Minister, is unrepentant:

“The aim is to dispel, through this emotional and uncomfortable message, the false perception that many road users have as to the horrifying consequences of speeding,” he said.

A voice-over at the end of the ad states: “Since 2000, speeding has killed a classroom of our children. Shame on you.”

You can watch the advertisement below.

** WARNING: Please be aware that the advertisement contains emotionally-charged images depicting the death of young children in a motor-vehicle accident. If you feel that the advertisement might upset you, we advise you not to watch it **