MESSAGE HITS HOME FOR YOUNG DRIVERS

[Kintyre Forum News]

MESSAGE HITS HOME FOR YOUNG DRIVERS

A hard-hitting campaign aimed at tackling the unacceptable number of deaths and serious injuries among young drivers and their passengers in the West of Scotland has been a success, according to the organisation which led it.

The West of Scotland Road Safety Forum (WoSRSF) launched its ‘Don’t Let This Happen To You’ campaign in the summer, to follow its 'Hero to Zero' campaign in 2007.

Quickly capturing the imagination of its target audience and now popularly known as the 'Numpty' campaign, ‘Don’t Let This Happen To You’ adopted a hard-hitting peer pressure angle.

The aim was to persuade young drivers to think carefully about their driving behaviour and not be branded a Numpty, Dunderheid, Eejit or Tube by their friends when they get behind the wheel.

Intensive campaign activity was conducted across the region, including Argyll and Bute, which involved radio and online advertising, competitions, posters and beer mats in pubs, clubs and universities, school washroom stickers and other special promotions.

Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Argyll and Bute’s Transportation and Infrastructure spokesman and the area’s WoSRSF representative said: “We have received highly positive feedback from partners and young people alike in response to this imaginative initiative.

“The Forum has even received anecdotal feedback from publicans about young people who have ‘stolen’ the campaign beer mats because of their cult following!

"The number of young drivers killed or injured in the West of Scotland has come down steadily since the Forum launched its first campaign in 2007, and I'm confident that this latest campaign will continue to make a positive contribution to bringing those figures down even further.

“We cannot afford to be complacent, however. The latest published figures show that young driver casualties across the West of Scotland have reduced from five a day in 2006 to three in 2008. But that's still three a day too many.

“We will continue to do everything we can to reduce this tragic waste of young lives across the West of Scotland”

Further information on the consequences of reckless driving and advice for young drivers – including the effects on driving ability of drink and drugs – is on the campaign website at www.dontletthishappentoyou.co.uk

[maxmix]

The aim was to persuade young drivers to think carefully about their driving behaviour and not be branded a Numpty, Dunderheid, Eejit or Tube by their friends when they get behind the wheel.

Hmm Strange quote ! I still see dozens of them driving around town daily and through the 30's as they have always done....

Or is it just me that notices these things ?

maxmix