Many argue that Valentine’s day is just an over commercialized profit driven event but for youngsters around the world, its often a time for them to do something special amidst the turmoil of exams, school, university and other pressures of young life. The premise behind it is to take a bit of time out to make an extra special effort for your loved ones, or if your single, to enjoy it with other singletons! On this day, don’t forget to keep each other safe on the road by following simple road safety steps.
Many organizations around the world have formulated targeted road safety messages for Valentine’s day. It is indeed a day of red roses, card giving, chocolates and dinners but for young people, it can also be a tragic loss of life when couples don’t observe basic road safety!
It goes without saying that showing your love and appreciation for your loved one should not be limited to Valentine’s Day, this also applies for road safety.
The facts are clear, road crashes are the single biggest killer of young people worldwide and in those figures, young men are most likely to be implicated not only in the cause of these deaths but also as victims of these crashes.
As young men all around the world gear up to arrange something special for their girlfriends, wives, fiances, they may decide to buy a bottle of wine, or better still, a bottle of champagne! They may even need a glass or two before the night starts to shake of the nerves of taking their long term crush out for a date. However, in a modern world, we are all to aware of the dangers of drinking and driving. Its therefore crucial that we observe road safety today on Valentine’s day to keep our loved safe but also beyond Valentine’s day.
We urge you, our peers, young people in our global community to embrace to these road safety commitments:
Examples of Valentine’s Day road safety campaigns around the world include targeted radio spots for road safety. In the UK, Star Radio in partnership with Camridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnerhsip, ran a special competition to engage young people in road safety by designing the script of their own Valentine’s road safey advert.
I didn’t mean to kill you. I was driving too fast. I really miss you. ‘For My Girlfriend’ targets young male drivers, for example those aged between 17-24 years old, who are sadly over represented in the crash statistics. Tragically, there were a total of 72 KSIs (killed or seriously injured) for young people aged 17 – 24 in Cambridgeshire in 2008, and the majority of these were young male drivers. In addition, more girls die as passengers in cars.
Research into young drivers’ attitudes and behaviour revealed that the prospect of killing or maiming someone they loved, such as their girlfriend, was a key issue that may produce a change of attitude towards driving too fast.
The winning advert script was written by Ellie Powels and is a powerful auditory advert:
“Katie: Thanks for tonight babe I really en….
SFX – scream
SFX – crash
SFX – ambulance siren
SFX – Heart beat
Matt: I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean tonight to end like this I just wanted to make you happy I just hope you can hear me as I didn’t get to tell you earlier I really enjoyed tonight too…..I should have known that extra pint wasn’t worth it. It was a stupid mistake if only I could change what I’ve done, you no Katie I would of done any thing for my girlfriend.
SFX- cry
Matt:……..Katie I love you.
SFX – heart monitor stops
Narrator: Make sure you don’t lose the one you love this valentines. Think. Don’t drink and drive.”
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We wish you a happy and safe Valentine’s Day!