Falling from height speed banner.

About the intervention

This is a large-format banner measuring 10 x 3 metres, designed to be installed on buildings or suspended using a fire service ladder or scissor lift. It shows the increasing fall heights equivalent to different impact speeds in a pedestrian collision:

• At 20mph, being struck by a car is equivalent to falling 4 metres - a survivable fall from a first-floor window.

• At 30mph – just 50% faster – the equivalent fall height more than doubles to 9 metres.

• At 35mph, it becomes a fall from 12 metres - roughly four storeys.

This non-linear escalation in risk is difficult to grasp through statistics alone, but becomes instantly clear in a physical, visual format. The banner invites reflection from a distance and prompts conversation close-up - whether seen by passers-by, local media, or school or community groups.

What’s included

• Banner dimensions: 10 metres wide x 3 metres tall

• Material: Hard-wearing air mesh PVC with reinforced eyelets for mounting - fire retardant and designed for use indoors (shopping centres/atriums etc) and outdoors (sides of buildings etc).

• Use cases: Ideal for town centres, schools, council buildings, and community events

• Installation options: Compatible with scaffolding, cherry pickers, ladders or building façades

• Message design: Focused on simplicity, clarity and immediate public understanding

Proven to shift understanding

This intervention has been evaluated by behavioural science expert Dr Jonathan Rolison. The the banner was found to:

• Improve comprehension of how speed increases impact severity in a non-linear way

• Be rated more attention-grabbing, clear, and persuasive than a control intervention

• Prompt stronger emotional reflection without causing undue distress or message rejection

• Be rated the most appropriate for public display across all conditions tested

Participants also reported that the message was more believable, visually helpful and easy to understand at a glance. The banner achieved statistically significant comprehension gains and was judged to strike the best balance between impact and sensitivity.

Addresses risk tolerance

Public understanding of speed is often rooted in linear thinking: that 30mph is only “a bit faster” than 20mph. But in terms of physics - and survivability - the difference is far more stark. This intervention turns that invisible concept into a physical truth: a much greater fall, a much harder landing, and a much higher risk of serious harm.

By using height as a metaphor, the message connects with audiences in a way that traditional data or statistics may not. It builds on research around message salience, cognitive reflection, and the value of analogy in health and safety communication.

Licence details

• Cost: £925 per year to rent (discounts available for multiple-banners) with a minimum two year rental

• Includes: One printed banner (10m x 3m) with reinforced eyelets

• Usage: Physical asset for reuse across events, campaigns and installations during the rental period

Please contact james@co-pilot.org for more information.