Rugby MP Mark Pawsey is supporting Road Safety Week, 21-27 November, and calling for action to tackle the senseless loss of young lives on the roads.
In 2010, 18 young people were killed or seriously injured on UK roads every day. Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people aged 15-24. More young people die in preventable road crashed than from drugs and violence put together.
Mark is therefore calling on the government to act by introducing graduated driver licensing, to allow new drivers to develop driving skills and experience gradually, while exposure to higher risk situations is restricted. In the UK it is estimated that graduated driver licensing would prevent 200 deaths and 14,000 injuries every year.
Mark said:
“I strongly support Road Safety Week because I recognise the devastation that road crashed and the loss of young lives have on families and the whole community. I believe it is time that we review the system of learning to drive, to help protect younger drivers when they are at greatest risk, which is why I am supporting this campaign.
Mark continued:
“I have already raised the issue of graduated driver licensing in the House of Commons following a personal experience, and continue to follow research in this area very closely. I believe that it is a very worthy line of inquiry for the government to pursue, and to me it seems a very sensible option for young drivers.
Mark concluded:
“Road Safety Week is a great time for all drivers, regardless of age, to remember that we all have our lives in our hands when we get behind a wheel, but if we all stick to basic road safety rules, such as wearing a seatbelt and not drinking alcohol before driving, we can help to prevent tragedies in Rugby”.