Czech Insurance Association: National Delay Day

Excessive speed remains one of the most persistent dangers on Czech roads, causing nearly 15% of all accidents and over a third of fatal crashes. In 2023 alone, speeding claimed 148 lives. Yet half of Czech drivers openly admit they regularly exceed the speed limit. For the Czech Insurance Association, the message was clear: speeding may save minutes, but it costs lives.

To address this, McCann Prague, Hero&Outlaw and Czech Insurance Association created National Delay Day — a symbolic initiative where the entire country slowed down for 13 minutes, showing that a short delay in a lifetime means nothing, while reckless speeding can mean everything. Football matches, theatre performances, and even the famous Prague Astronomical Clock began later to make people feel the real value of slowing down. The campaign turned statistics into a tangible, human experience: a few minutes never outweigh a lifetime.

Since its launch, National Delay Day has grown into a nationwide movement supported by companies, schools, municipalities, and cultural institutions. From Liftago extending waiting times to the Football Association of the Czech Republic integrating the message into the MOL Cup, partners across industries have amplified its call for responsibility. Media coverage and public debate continue to spread the idea that arriving late is always better than never arriving at all.

By transforming hard data into a shared cultural moment, National Delay Day has become an enduring reminder that slowing down saves lives.