Gran is back to drive home rural road safety message to young males
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Granny power is being used to drive home a safety message urging young motorists to watch out for hazards and keep their speed down on country roads.
A new #DriveSmart campaign from the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland targets male drivers aged 20-29, advising them to prepare for the unexpected and slow down in rural areas.
It features the return of a cheeky, straight-talking gran character who has appeared in a number of successful campaigns over the past year.
Inappropriate speed leading to loss of control is the biggest cause of deaths on country roads. The campaign launch includes a humorous and thought-provoking video, highlighting speed and other potential hazards on rural roads that can turn even a familiar journey into a potentially fatal one.
Gran appears from a young man’s crashed car to give him a suitable dressing-down following a lucky escape.
Country roads account for 60 per cent of casualties on Scotland’s roads, with latest figures showing that more than 700 people were killed or seriously injured while driving on them in 2018 – the last year for which figures are available.
Two-thirds of those killed were men, with 40 per cent of all drivers killed or seriously injured on country roads aged between 22 and 49.
The #DriveSmart campaign encourages young male drivers to adopt safer driving habits. Despite 61 per cent of males aged 20-29 claiming to be good or excellent drivers, statistically they are more likely to be involved in a collision than any other age group.
Scotland's transport secretary Michael Matheson said: “Sadly, country roads continue to make a significant contribution to both deaths and serious injuries in Scotland, so we must continue to raise awareness of the potential dangers faced by drivers travelling on them.
"This new campaign strikes just the right balance of humour while delivering an important message, so it is sure to stick in the minds of our target audience of young male drivers.
“Country roads are notoriously unpredictable and, with so many potential distractions both within and outside the car, it’s absolutely crucial drivers prepare for the unexpected and slow down when travelling on them – no matter how well they think they know the route. We’ve had great success using gran to deliver these messages, so we’re pleased to welcome her back for this campaign too.”
