Press Release -20th July 2009
A new campaign to put the brakes on reckless driving in the West of Scotland has
been
launched today.
In 2008, an average of three young drivers or passengers were killed or injured every day on
roads in the West of Scotland and campaigners are urging reckless drivers not to be ‘Numpty’s.’
The ‘Hero to Zero’ initiative is run by the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum and is being promoted across the region using high profile radio adverts on Galaxy FM and West FM, Bluetooth promotional activity, competitions and posters / beer mats in pubs and clubs and school stickers.
Chair of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, Councillor William Hendrie said:
“This campaign is aimed at those young people in the West of Scotland who want to show their friends how ‘good’ a driver they are by driving fast and taking unnecessary risks.
“Some young people think they are invincible despite the evidence to the contrary that this campaign shows all too clearly. We would urge young people, don’t be a ‘Numpty’, stay safe and don’t let this happen to you.”
New promotional materials using terms like Numpty, Dunderheid and Eejit are being used to describe the kind of drivers who take crazy risks not only with their own lives but also the lives of their passengers and other road users. It’s designed to encourage passengers to vote with their feet and refuse to be endangered by reckless driving.
Strathclyde Police’s Chief Inspector Jim McLaughlin, Central Command Road Policing, said:
“The disproportionate number of young drivers killed or seriously injured on the road on a daily basis remains a real concern for Strathclyde Police and this is why we continue to fully support the Hero to Zero Campaign.
“Unfortunately, some new drivers over estimate their ability, drive too fast for the road conditions and lack judgement. Some also forget that passengers make a difference to how a car handles, as does their own behaviour behind the wheel.
“The simple truth is that young drivers and, of course parents, must realise that sound driving skills are not formed instantly when a test is passed. This will come with good driving habits, experience and time.
“There is a fine line between walking out of the car unscathed and having a Police Officer visit your family to break the worst possible news. All too often, this lack of experience and bad driving habits can have fatal consequences for some young drivers.”
Gladys Cadden, Manager of the Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership, added:
“Speed is frequently a crucial factor in serious crashes involving young people in cars. We are keen to get the message across to both drivers and passengers that speeding on the road is not cool and can lead to totally unnecessary pain and heartbreak.”
The website for the campaign is www.dontletthishappentoyou.co.uk and it 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.
