A new campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the risks of speeding with the Government targeting young men in particular who may drive too fast.
The advert hopes to target young drivers aged 17 to 24, who underestimate the risks of speeding, especially during poor weather conditions.
The campaign features actors Hugo Chegwin, best known for his role as DJ Beats in the BBC mockumentary People Just Do Nothing, and Kadeem Ramsay, who played Kit in Netflix’s Top Boy.
The pair have teamed up with THINK!, the road safety campaign, to warn drivers about the risks of speeding and urge people to slow down on rural roads.
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Only 32 per cent of young men consider speeding to be very risky
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The advert takes place on the fake radio station “UnXpected FM”, hosted by the characters DJ Beats and Kit who are asking drivers, “Is pushing it worth it?”.
The radio advert comes as only 32 per cent of young men consider speeding to be very risky, despite Government data showing that speed kills or injures 58 young people every week.
It also highlights the dangers of speeding during poor weather such as ice, wind or rain, when the response time of drivers is slower.
Guy Opperman, roads minister at the Department for Transport, said: “We hope this fresh campaign cuts through to young men, who statistically are the most likely to drive too fast on rural roads and in dangerous conditions.
“This is a fresh initiative from THINK!, using recognisable voices and innovative technology to remind drivers of risks right behind the wheel.”
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three points on a driving licence. Motorists who receive 12 or more points within three years may face being disqualified from the roads.
For newly qualified drivers, if they receive six points during the first two years after passing their test, the licence will automatically be cancelled with resits of both the theory and practical required to get back on the roads.
Last year, the police enforced 686,865 speeding offences in an attempt to discourage speeding, an increase of 44 per cent.
Chegwin added: “I’ve no idea where they got the concept of a pastiche pirate radio station from! But it’s entertaining and puts an unexpected spin on an important subject.”
Last year, Wales took drastic measures to help reduce the speed of a driver by rolling out 20 mph speed limits across the country.
The new rules are now in place in any area where streetlights are present on restricted or residential roads.
Due to the change in speed, data gathered by the Transport for Wales showed the average speeds on main roads dropped an average of four miles per hour from 28.9mph to 24.8mph.
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The campaign features actors Hugo Chegwin, (BBC's People Just Do Nothing) and Kadeem Ramsay (Kit in Netflix’s Top Boy)
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT
Research by the Government found a strong link between lowering speeds and decreasing the number of collisions and people injured.
It saw an average six per cent drop in collisions for every one mile per hour reduction in average speed.
Last year’s THINK! campaign resulted in 80 per cent of the young audience reporting taking action as a result of seeing the advert, with the organisation hoping a similar trend will be seen this year.
