Have you taken the Brake Pledge?
Road safety charity Brake is urging all young drivers to take its pledge and drive safely. This is in accordance with Road Safety Week, which is happening right now (21st-27th November).
Five people are killed every day on UK roads, with 62 people being seriously injured on top of that. These worrying figures have led to Brake creating its pledge, which calls for people to ‘drive less’ and if they do drive, ‘to do everything they can to protect themselves and the people around them’.
The pledge covers six elements that constitute safe driving, and in making the pledge, drivers have to be…
Slow: Drivers will stay under the speed limit and will slow to 20mph around schools, homes and shops.
Sober: Drivers will never drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Secure: Drivers will make sure everybody in their car is belted up, and that their car is safe.
Silent: Drivers will never use their mobile phone while driving and will keep in-car distractions to a minimum.
Sharp: Drivers will always stay focused on driving, and take breaks when necessary.
Sustainable: Everyone will minimise the amount they drive and, wherever possible, find alternatives to using their car.
The stats back up the need for this pledge: breaking the speed limit contributes for 27% of fatal crashes in Britain, 1 in 10 fatalities on the road are down to alcohol, mobile phone distractions make drivers three times more likely to crash, and 21% of those killed in accidents were not wearing a seatbelt.
A recent study from Brake also revealed that people who are speeding or distracted by a mobile phone are feared as the biggest threats on the road, according to 76% of drivers.
So, take the Brake Pledge this Road Safety Week and help make the road a safer place for every driver. Take the pledge today.