Scottish racing stars Rory Butcher, Ciaran Haggerty and Sebastian Melrose teamed up on the track at Knockhill Racing Circuit to urge young drivers to watch their speed on country roads and help save lives.
The up-and-coming drivers are backing the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland (part of Transport Scotland) campaign, in a bid to highlight the consequences of driving too fast on country roads.
With country roads accounting for over a half of all fatal accidents on Scotland’s roads (52%)1, the young drivers hope their support will highlight that even the most experienced drivers in the world need to adjust their speed and drive to the conditions on country roads.
Driver Rory Butcher, runner up in the 2016 European Le Mans Series with the JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 GTE said: “There’s a time and place for speed and that’s on the track; in a controlled environment with a consistent surface. On country roads with the ever-changing weather and potential hazards, it’s a lottery.
“I hope our support for this campaign will help raise awareness of the need to prepare for the unexpected. You really don’t know what you’ll meet round the corner.”
Last year alone, 649 people were killed or seriously injured on country roads1 and over two thirds of those were men. This powerful campaign targets young male drivers aged 22-40, who have a higher risk of being involved in a crash. An emotional TV advert follows a fictional character losing control of his car – and losing his life – on a country road with the strapline: “Don’t miss what’s round the corner. Watch your speed on country roads.”
Minister for Transport and Islands Humza Yousaf said:
“We are committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland. The campaign shows the real consequences of driving at an inappropriate speed on country roads. You just don’t know what is round the corner, and motorists need to realise they aren’t invincible and that it could happen to them. We want every driver in Scotland, particularly young men, to take note and encourage them to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions.”
The campaign is running throughout Scotland across multiple channels including TV and digital advertising, PR and field and partnership.
For more information, log onto dontriskit.info or check out the Road Safety Scotland Facebook and Twitter (@roadsafetyscot) pages. The ad is available to view at https://youtu.be/yJtTgTWUtQY.
