YOURS is a long term advocate for peer-to-peer messaging, that being young people talking to young people about road safety issues. We know that a young person is more likely to absorb a message and act on it when it has been transmitted from a peer; a trusted friend or a person of a similar age that they can relate to. At the European Youth Forum for Road Safety, youth delegates share their message with other young people about keeping safe on the road.
Under the directive eye of talented journalist Mr Manolis Andriotakis, youth delegates from around Europe who attended the forum gave short interviews to the camera about their work and the roles they are taking to promote road safety in their nations.
Additionally, Mr Andriotakis asked the young delegates to give a short message to young people about keeping safe on the roads. The messages given are inspiring. Young people clearly value life and are taking responsibility for their own safety.
German delegate Ms Katja Gutknecht says, ‘Where do you picture yourself in 5-10 years, probably on a beach enjoying life and not in a cemetry?’. This is a very poignant message from one young person to another. Sometimes, young people feel invincible but often, lives are cut short because a young person didn’t take responsibily. She continues her message to say, ‘Think about how you will get home after a party if you have come on your bike or in your car’, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol is one of the biggest reasons young people, especially young males die in car crashes.
A key theme in the messages was about ‘enjoying life, that life is precious and that personal responsibility is one of the most important things for road safety’.
Coordinator of the European Region, Mr Axl Druart told the camera, ‘This is so easy guys, take some responsibility because you know drink driving is wrong, if you want to see your friends again be safe, and if you don’t do it for yourself, do it for others and respect yourself’.
Overall, the message from the young people was positive and orientated around a positive approach; about preserving life. This is exactly what youth and road safety is all about. A positive message from young people to their peers because we care. A message of preserving life and taking responsbility. The efforts of road safety in this respect focus on attitude change and this, coupled with strong lobbying for action from authorities cemented in the action points in the European Youth Declaration for Road Safety will create a road safety movement that is cross-sectoral, effective and most importantly, life changing.
The video is availbale to view on the right column.