Road Safety Campaign advances on two fronts

16 February 2011

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart’s road safety campaign has advanced on two fronts this week.

He is joining forces with road safety campaigners in the Western Isles to cut the numbers of young people killed or seriously injured in accidents.

Mr Stewart, who leads the North of Scotland Driver Awareness team (NOSDAT) met local community representatives at the Western Isles Council offices in Stornoway on Monday (february 14) to discuss the setting up of a branch of the team in the Western Isles.

Inverness-based NOSDAT has launched an online petition asking the Government to introduce a Graduated Driving Licence (GDL) to stop the carnage of young people on roads.

Mr Stewart said: "We had a really fruitful meeting in Stornoway with road safety campaigners and I hope we will  be able to set up a local branch of NOSDAT there with the co-operation of local community groups.

"Together we can lobby the UK Government to bring in a GDL and cut the number of deaths and serious injuries involving young people on our roads."

On Tuesday (February 15) NOSDAT launched a dramatic advert displayed over the full rear of a double decker bus with its partner Stagecoach Bus in Inverness.

It shows a graphic image of a vehicle involved in a genuine fatal road collision, conveying the group's message of ’Sensible Driving – Always Arriving’ and ‘Your Passengers – Your responsibility’.

Mr Stewart said: "Having Stagecoach as a partner is fantastic, they have done so much for our campaign already and we now having this unique advert on the full rear of one of their double decker buses.

"This display, which will draw the attention of the public and therefore help get our message across, is another massive step forward for our campaign".

Russell Henderson, Engineering Director, Stagecoach in the Highlands said "We are delighted to be supporting this campaign by spreading the message across the city using one of our local buses.

"Our number one priority at Stagecoach is safety and any work carried out to improve safety on our roads is undoubtedly worth the effort." (click on the image above to view an enlarged version )

Last month at a ceremony in Westminster the road safety charity Brake presented David Stewart with its ‘National Campaigner’ Award for his work campaigning to introduce a GDL.

Mr Stewart launched NOSDAT in June 2010 to stop young people dying on Scottish roads. His interest began after hearing about a crash involving young drivers in which Callum Matheson, 17, and Ahlee Jackson, 17, died.

He met Callum’s mother, Diane Matheson. He was moved by her story and felt he had to set up a campaign for GDL. Among his demands are legislation to make it compulsory for young drivers who have just passed their test display the ‘P’ plate on their vehicles for 90 days and that young drivers complete a one day pass plus driving course.

Mr Stewart also wants to look at the possibility of limiting the number and age of young passengers being carried in a vehicle by a new driver.

The messages of the campaign are ‘Sensible Driving – Always Arriving’ and ‘Your Passengers – Your Responsibility.’

In August 2010, Mr Stewart held a meeting with the Road Haulage Association, Advanced Driving Instructors and other interested parties.

They discussed how best to improve road safety for young people throughout the Scottish region.

They agreed that they would work together to raise awareness of the issue and get the message across to young drivers and passengers.

By September 2010 there were many initiatives already being put into practice.

In one such initiative, posters were displayed in 180 Stagecoach buses throughout the Highlands.

The posters addressed young driver behaviour and urged passengers to have the confidence to get out of a car if they feel worried about how the vehicle is being driven.

As well as setting up the campaign and working with industry and the community, Mr Stewart also wrote to the Scottish Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson and Westminster based Transport Secretary, Phillip Hammond. David has also raised two motions in the Scottish Parliament and he has asked the Scottish Government a series of Parliamentary Questions on this issue

Last October 2010, Doctor Sarah Jones from Cardiff University gave further backing for the campaign. Dr Jones carried out several years of research into Graduated Driver Licensing, revealing that 22 lives each year could be saved if GDL was introduced in Scotland. GDL could also prevent 1,056 road
injuries and save the Scottish economy £80 million.

On 13 December 2010, Miss Inverness helped David Stewart launch ‘Deadly Mates’, their newest campaign, by revealing the ‘Deadly Mates’ campaign car which carried the team to events across Scotland to educate young drivers. ‘Deadly Mates’ leaflets were also handed out at the launch.

His team then got busy urging the public to sign a petition calling the Scottish Government to put in place GDL for new drivers.