Campaign to put the brakes on reckless young drivers

A campaign to cut the number of young drivers and passengers who are killed or injured in car crashes across the West of Scotland has been launched today (30 September) by the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum.

The 'Hero to Zero' campaign aims to raise awareness of how young drivers are putting their own life and their passengers' lives at risk by behaving recklessly behind the wheel.  

The initiative includes radio adverts on Radio Clyde, Westsound and Your Radio, posters in leisure centres, libraries and other public buildings and washroom stickers and mousemats in secondary schools to target young people before they get their driving licences with the message "Don't let it happen to you."

A beermat design competition on - www.dontletthishappentoyou.co.uk - lets people design their own beer mats to say exactly what they would call reckless young drivers.   The best entries will be put forward for consideration for future campaigns.  

Every day in the West of Scotland, four young drivers or passengers, aged between 17 and 25, are killed or injured in car crashes.*

Councillor Jim Todd, Chairman of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, says: "Some young drivers are keen to show their friends how good a driver they are by driving fast and taking unnecessary risks because they think that a crash will never happen to them."

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

In 2007, Strathclyde Police dealt with 1,329 young driver or passenger casualties among the 17 to 25 age group.  

Chief Inspector Jim Igoe, West Command Road Policing, 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 'Hero to Zero' campaign will run across all twelve councils in the West of Scotland and is supported by Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership, and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue who are also members of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum.

The campaign website - www.dontletthishappentoyou.co.uk - gives more information about the consequences of reckless driving and advice for young drivers on driving at night, during bad weather and also the effects of drink and drugs.

Notes to Editors:

*Average daily figure based on all 17-25 year old driver and passenger casualties for 2007.