By John Simpson 18 November 2011
Traffic accidents involving younger drivers will be the focus of Road Safety Week which kicks off from this Monday [21 November].
Organised by road safety charity Brake, the week-long annual event highlights the importance of driving safely and raise awareness of how roads can be made safer to avoid needless tragedies.
Julie Townsend, Campaigns Director at Brake, outlined the organisation’s aims: “Through Road Safety Week this year, Brake is appealing for action to tackle the devastating crashes and casualties that happen every day involving young people and young drivers.
“Every day, more families face the unbearable news that a loved one has been killed suddenly and violently, or suffered a horrific injury, in these crashes.
“To put a stop to this, we are calling on young drivers – and drivers of all ages – to ‘have a heart at the wheel’: to show compassion, acknowledge they have lives in their hands, and pledge to drive safely.”
Brake is also calling on the Government to help inexperienced drivers be safer by implementing graduated driver licensing; a measure strongly linked to significant drops in fatal accidents.
Workshop
Arval is just one of the names getting behind Road Safety Week by lining up four days of events not just for its employees but local high school students too.
Following a safety workshop for Arval workers on Monday, the leasing company will head into Swindon schools to conduct a road safety quiz for around 60 year 11 pupils.
“We are passionate about sharing safety messages with our employees, and encouraging them to take those messages home to their families and friends,” said Tracey Scarr, Fleet & Road Safety Manager at Arval.
“Young or old, any life lost on our roads is a tragedy and we are committed to reminding our staff, and the community, of their personal responsibilities and educating them on how they can mitigate the risks that we all face, each and every time we drive.”
This was good news to Julie Townsend who concluded: “We are delighted that Arval is taking part in Road Safety Week again this year, helping to get the message across that we can all play a part in making roads safer.”
Other names doing their bit for Road Safety Week include manufacturer Kia, FedEx and numerous emergency services.
Categories: Fleet news
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