New campaign tackles young driver and passenger casualties in the West of Scotland

A major new road safety campaign, which aims to reduce the number of young drivers and passengers who are killed or seriously injured in road crashes across the West of Scotland, has been launched today (7 February 2008).

The initiative - 'Hero to Zero' - is being funded by the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, and aims to raise awareness of how young drivers are putting their own lives and the lives of their young adult passengers at risk by behaving recklessly behind the wheel.  

Every day in the West of Scotland around five young adults between the age of 17 and 25 are killed or injured in car crashes.*

Common factors in fatal collisions among 17 to 25 year olds were exceeding speed limits, travelling too fast for the road conditions and loss of control.   Another fatal combination is when young adult passengers are travelling with the young driver.

Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Chairman of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, says: "Some young drivers are keen to test themselves and take unnecessary risks with their own lives, the lives of their passengers and other road users - sometimes with fatal consequences.  

"They take their driving to the edge without having the ability or experience to carry it off, often thinking that a crash 'won't happen' to them.

"We need young drivers who take risks on the road to question their own driving and that of their friends and consider the consequences of their own and other's behaviour.   We want them to think - is it really worth it?"

In 2006, Strathclyde Police dealt with 1,593 young driver or passenger casualties among the 17 to 25 age group.   Pre campaign research among young adults, the main target for this initiative, showed a major lack of understanding of the consequences of their actions if they took risks when driving.

The effects of young drivers being involved in road collisions not only impacts upon organisations involved in road safety and enforcement - they also impact heavily upon local communities whose safety is compromised every time a young driver behaves recklessly behind the wheel.

The main messages of the initiative are that irresponsible young drivers are putting their own life and the lives of their friends at risk   and the personal consequences to them as drivers goes far beyond the collision, but can adversely impact on their status among peers, their ability to drive in the future and in severe cases upon their freedom.

Chief Inspector Andy Orr, Strathclyde Police, says: "Some young drivers often believe themselves to be better drivers than they are.   Unfortunately, on occasions, they lack judgement, drive too fast for the road conditions and over estimate their skill.   They also forget that passengers make a difference to how a car handles, as well as to their own behaviour behind the wheel.

"We are seeing far too many young drivers and passengers being killed and injured on our roads and we fully support the 'Hero to Zero' campaign to reduce these casualties."

The initiative includes a heavyweight radio campaign on Clyde 1, West FM, Your Radio, Argyll FM and Oban FM, beer mats, and washroom posters in pubs and clubs and, for the first time, in senior schools.   A range of different campaign materials were pre-tested among young driving offenders during the development of the initiative to ensure the final images would have impact and help encourage errant drivers to rethink their attitudes.

Young Driver radio ad 1
Young Driver radio ad 2

The 'Hero to Zero' campaign will run across all twelve councils in the West of Scotland and is supported by Strathclyde Police and Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership, who are also members of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum,

A new campaign website has also been developed - www.dontletthishappentoyou.co.uk - giving more information about the effects of reckless driving and advice for young drivers on driving at night, during bad weather and also the effects of drink and drugs.

* Average daily figure based on all 17-25 year old driver and passenger casualties for 2006.