Students are being reminded that a drink or drug driving conviction may stop you from going to the US on your J1 – or ever. This stark warning was issued by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), in partnership with USIT Travel and An Garda Síochána.
The social media campaign is aimed at new and returning students across Ireland as they settle back in college and begin considering, researching and planning a summer abroad next year on USIT’s J1 USA visa programme.
It flashes between footage of an isolated Irishman left at home with that of his friends, who are away on the adventure of a lifetime in the USA. All footage is matched to exaggerate how a summer can take two roads: and only one of them is memorable.
“This is designed to show how a drink or drug driving conviction or disqualification may impact someone’s chances on getting a J1 visa for the summer,” said Sam Waide, chief executive of the RSA. “If you are returning to college this autumn, please remember to drink responsibly and plan how you will get back to your accommodation at the end of the night. If you live far from campus, arrange in advance to travel home with a group of friends by taxi or public transport.”
The campaign runs across Meta, Snapchat and TikTok until Sunday, 13 October. Students who intend to travel to the US begin their planning in September, making this an optimal time to deliver this important message.
The campaign can be viewed at rsa.ie (J1 campaign)
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