Slow down plea from David Coulthard
Former Formula 1 racing driver, David Coulthard, is urging drivers in Scotland to adjust their speed and help reduce the number of deaths on country roads each year.
With country roads accounting for around 70% of fatalities on Scotland’s roads, the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland (part of Transport Scotland) have joined forces with the 13 time Grand Prix title winner to make drivers aware that you don’t have to be breaking the speed limit to be driving too fast for the conditions.
Many of the drivers killed or seriously injured each year on country roads were caught out by the unpredictable nature of country roads because they were driving too fast. Last year alone, over 1,000 fatal or serious accidents occurred on country roads and three out of four of those deaths are men.
David Coulthard said: “My advice to older and younger drivers alike is to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions and be aware of the limitations of the vehicle you are driving in. There is more to driving than just paying attention to the speed limit, you have to drive appropriately for the conditions and drive at a speed which doesn’t hinder your decision-making abilities.
“The main goal of this campaign is to ultimately reduce fatalities on country roads. Sadly too many people are killed in road accidents that could be avoided. I hope this campaign will reduce the eventuality of accidents on country roads and make sure it is something that doesn’t happen as frequently as it unfortunately does today.”
By lending his name to the campaign, the former F1 racing driver wants motorists, to reconsider their attitudes to driving on country roads and the associated risks.
In a television and cinema advert that will be broadcast across Scotland in March, Coulthard demonstrates through a reconstruction, that even the best drivers in the world adjust their speed on country roads.
Transport Minister Keith Brown added: “This innovative campaign can help get the message across that even the most qualified drivers in the world, drive to the conditions on country roads. We know that male drivers make up three quarters of those killed on our roads and 70 per cent of fatal accidents happen on country roads. I hope that David Coulthard, a Formula 1 legend, can help convince them to change their dangerous driving habits.”
The key message of the campaign is to drive at the right speed for the road - even the best drivers in the world adjust their speed on country roads. Don’t risk it.
For more information on the campaign or where the Country Roads Challenge will be attending log onto www.dontriskit.info or check out the Road Safety Scotland Facebook page.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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