Speak up to Slow Down!

Pictured left to right: Martin Timmis, Head of Operational Response at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service; Steve Chadwick, Shropshire County Council; Vicki Bristow, Safer Roads Partnership and Ashley Brown, Road Safety Advocate

Press release by Safer Roads Partnership

The Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia has launched a campaign, aimed at 17 to 24 year olds, to help reduce casualties and deaths on the region's roads.

The campaign focuses on teenagers and young adults and empowering passengers to speak up when they feel their driver is going too fast. The campaign features hard hitting visuals of the aftermath of a collision.

Billboards, bus, magazine and cinema advertising is running throughout October and the campaign will also be featured in local colleges and at freshers fairs. Posters will also be featuring on Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service fire appliances following a unique link up between the two organisations.

The campaign is targeting a difficult group, but draws on research showing that drivers of that age group don't make the connection between speeding and dangerous driving and passengers often feel as though they can't speak up when their driver is driving carelessly. The majority don't think an accident will happen to them and some even admit to getting a buzz out of driving fast.

Vicki Bristow, Communications Manager for the Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia says: "The aim of the campaign is to make this age group more aware of the impact and consequences of speeding and to empower passengers to speak up, particularly when their driver is speeding. We are confident that our link up with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service will also push this message across and help give the campaign more prominence across Shropshire".

15th October, 2007