Young drivers' film shows dangers of peer pressure
15/03/2010 12:32:24
A dramatic short film illustrating the dangers young drivers face when subject to peer pressure goes live on the web this week.
The film, just one minute 20 seconds long, forms the next stage of the Drive SMART initiative, launched last September by Surrey County Council and Surrey Police to tackle anti-social driving. It is also in response to casualty statistics that show that this group are particularly vulnerable.
Targeted at young drivers in Surrey aged between 17 and 24, the film shows how easy it is for a young driver, coerced by his friends, to take unnecessary risks at dangerous speeds on the road – with devastating consequences.
In a clear challenge to young drivers it asks "Can you stand up to your mates?" and urges them to "Be strong".
Road safety statistics nationally and locally highlight that younger drivers are over represented in road casualty statistics. In 2008, 27% of all casualties in Surrey and 18% of all fatalities were young people aged between 16 and 24 years old.
The Leader of Surrey County Council, Dr Andrew Povey, said: "Young drivers are particularly vulnerable on the road and putting a film about road safety on the internet is one way of encouraging them to take more care. Their inexperience and exuberance behind the wheel, especially when driving with friends, can have devastating consequences - so our Drive SMART campaign aims to highlight these dangers to encourage young people to drive more carefully."
Surrey Police Assistant Chief Constable, Ian Dyson, added: "We want to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured on Surrey's roads and hope that this film will make young drivers more aware of the dangers of taking unnecessary risks. Surrey Police will prosecute drivers who continue to act irresponsibly and break the law but with our Drive SMART campaign initiatives we want to improve motorists' behaviour so they pose less risk to themselves and other road users."
The film, produced by Manchester agency 90degrees, features four talented young actors familiar to thousands of young people across Surrey – Alex Bambrick, Kate Tidman, Brooke O’Halloran and Jamie McLeod-Ross. The quartet all feature in the video that goes with the award-winning Safe Drive Stay Alivestage show run every year for sixth formers across the county by Surrey Fire & Rescue Service.
The viral marketing campaign will see a link to the film clip, now on YouTube, placed on web sites and forums used by young people, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as partner web sites. People viewing the clip will also be encouraged to pass it on to friends and colleagues who may know young people in the right age category.
It will also be shown live at the Transport for Surrey Conference on Thursday, March 25th and at two special performances of Safe Drive Stay Aliveat Dorking Halls on Wednesday, April 28th.
The hard-hitting viral film can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch