Wednesday, 1 September 2004
The latest phase of a road safety campaign aimed at young drivers will launch across eastern England during September.
Thurrock Council's Road Safety Team and six other local authorities* are presenting the successful For My Girlfriend (FMG) campaign for the second year running.
The campaign features a handy credit card-sized mailer that contains information useful to younger drivers, including what to do in the event of an accident, vehicle maintenance tips and information about insurance.
The mailer also directs readers to the For My Girlfriend website: www.fmg.org.uk where there is more detailed information to help young drivers get the most from their motoring and drive safely.
Denise Langan, Road Safety Manager for Thurrock Council, said: "The FMG website contains a host of road safety information and other material that a young driver will find useful.
"We are hoping that this new mailer will attract younger drivers to the site where they will pick up information that may help them stay safe while driving."
The mailer is being distributed with the help of sixth form centres, colleges and universities, nightclubs and pubs, leisure centres and major employers - places where young people are likely to be found in large numbers.
A significant number of young people are killed or seriously injured on the UK's roads every year. On average there are 22 fatal or serious casualties every week in the 17 to 25 years age group in the eastern region alone.
Research conducted in the eastern region in 2000 confirmed that young drivers, especially young males, find it almost impossible to imagine killing or injuring themselves in a road crash.
The study also revealed that the outcome they dread most is killing or maiming someone they are close to - possibly a girlfriend or best mate - who is travelling in a car driven by them. This outcome is considered worse than killing or injuring a pedestrian, even a child, or an unknown third party.
For further information about For My Girlfriend, visit the website or contact the campaign organisers Sally Bartrum or Nick Rawlings on 01379 650112 or email formygirlfriend@thurrock.gov.uk
For information and advice on road safety in Thurrock, contact the council's Road Safety Team on 01375 413876 or visit www.thurrock.gov.uk/travel/highways/
In 2003, 1168 people aged 17 to 25 were killed or seriously injured on roads in the eastern region - an average of 22 each week.
FMG was developed in the eastern region and launched in this region in February 2002. Previous initiatives include hard-hitting postcard and Valentine card campaigns and a road safety competition linked to the campaign website.
Although developed in the eastern region, FMG has proved popular and has been taken up by road safety teams in other parts of the country. It is currently being used by road safety teams in the Thames Valley Safer Roads Group and by safety camera partnerships in Kent & Medway, Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, London, Lancashire and Somerset.
FMG is managed by Stennik, a communications company based in Diss, Norfolk. Stennik developed the campaign in conjunction with the eastern region road safety teams during 2001.
PDF image of the new FMG credit card is available. Please contact Dawn Gutteridge in the Press Office.
01375 652652
01375 652359
