November 3, 2006 This news release issued by Aberdeenshire Council

The powerful Safe Drive Stay Alive event, held in Aberdeenshire for the first time last year, returns next week with the aim of reaching an even wider audience.

The challenging road safety initiative, aimed at fifth year pupils in Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen, has been expanded to include secondary schools in Moray – reaching a potential 1,500 extra pupils – and meaning all 42 North-east secondary schools are now participating.

Safe Drive Stay Alive will highlight the potentially devastating effects of a serious car crash to around 5,000 pupils over the course of a series of live performances.

The four-day event, organised by the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership, begins at the Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen, on Tuesday, 7 November, and runs until Friday, 10 November.

ExxonMobil is supporting the initiative for the second year, and joining the sponsors for 2006 is the Stewart Milne Group, with First Group also assisting.

Safe Drive Stay Alive is also financially supported by the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council and Moray Council.

Last year’s performances, which targeted pupils from Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen, were received incredibly well by pupils and teachers alike.

Grampian covers a huge area with thousands of miles of rural roads and an increasing number of vehicles. Although accident rates are not as high as some areas, fatal and serious crashes sadly continue to be an all too common occurrence on North-east roads.

Young people between the ages of 17 and 25 are particularly vulnerable on the roads, both as new drivers and as passengers in cars. Of the 53 lives tragically lost locally on North-east roads last year, 25 were within this age group – almost half (47%) of the total killed.

This campaign targets young people who are approaching driving age and aims to leave them with a very hard-hitting and lasting message about their vulnerability.

The message is conveyed via a series of live stage shows incorporating filmed footage based on an all too typical crash involving a group of young people.

People affected by such incidents – emergency services personnel, victims and the bereaved – will speak frankly and openly about their feelings, experiences and life afterwards.

The initiative has been made possible with a great deal of support from the organisations which make up the community safety partnerships: councils, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, Grampian Police, NHS Grampian, and the Scottish Ambulance Service – each bringing their own expertise to an issue in which they all have a part to play.

William Munro, chairman of the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership, said: “The reaction to Safe Drive Stay Alive 2005 was incredibly encouraging, but unfortunately lives are still being lost on our roads; many of them young people.

“This project leaves young people, as they approach driving age, in no doubt about the risks, their vulnerability, and the need to take care and act responsibly.

“We are very grateful for ExxonMobil’s continuing support and welcome new support from Stewart Milne Group and First Group, as well as the high level of commitment and effort being put into this project by the various partners and, of course, the members of the cast – in particular, those whose lives have been tragically affected by death and injury on the roads.”

Aberdeen City Councillor Martin Greig, chairman of the Aberdeen Community Safety Partnership, added: "It is vital that young drivers go out on to the road knowing of the need for careful driving and are aware of the consequences of driving without due care and attention.

“Safe Drive Stay Alive fits in with other road safety initiatives for young drivers like PassPlus and Grampian Police's "Driving Ambition" Project.

“It can be difficult to assess the short-term impact of these educational projects. But I believe that Safe Drive Stay Alive makes a big impression on young people who are a key target audience for the safe driving message.

“I hope as many as possible will be able to attend because we must try to underline the need for care and attention behind the wheel.”

Moray Council Convener, Cllr Eddie Coutts JP, said that sometimes shock tactics are worth employing.

"The presentation may be disturbing to the youngsters and upset them, and may even linger long in their memory," he said.

"But if this campaign helps save the life of one young person it will have been worth it, and Moray Council wholeheartedly supports it."

The performances benefit from the experience and expertise of representatives of the emergency services, who have seen at first hand what all motorists hope they will never encounter.

Accident and Emergency Consultant, James Ferguson, said: “We continue to deal with too many road collisions resulting in death or permanent disability and devastation of their families as a result.

“We need to change Grampian’s accepted culture of driving at speed. By targeting youngsters before they commence driving, I hope, over the next few years, to see a reduction in reckless driving behaviour in young drivers.

“If Safe Drive Stay Alive becomes a permanent part of teaching in schools, we should eventually see a reduction in road collisions involving drivers of all ages.”

Sponsor ExxonMobil is supporting the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership event in its second year.

Alan Brown, operations manager at ExxonMobil, said: “We are pleased to be able to continue our involvement with the Safe Drive Stay Alive programme in Aberdeenshire, Fife and Surrey – by the end of the week more than 30,000 young people throughout the UK will have had the opportunity to see a presentation.

“We also welcome the opportunity to work closely with the various agencies involved in the Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership. Safe Drive Stay Alive presents an opportunity to make a real difference to young people as they start their driving careers.”

Also lending their support this year are the Stewart Milne Group, and First Group.

Stewart Milne, chairman and Chief Executive of Stewart Milne Group, said: “As one of the major employers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, we are delighted to support this valuable project.

“Many of our staff have children in this age category and we are keen to support the education of young drivers to ensure their safety on our roads.”

George Mair, Managing Director of First, commented: "Clearly, any project which can help reduce the unnecessary loss of life arising from fatal and serious road traffic accidents deserves to be fully supported.

“We may even manage to convince some of the youths attending the events to continue using public transport, rather than adding to the ever increasing number of cars on the roads.”

Notes for editors:
The Aberdeenshire Community Safety Partnership comprises a range of organisations with a part to play in ‘Making Aberdeenshire a Safer Place’.

In particular, for this project there is close co-operation and participation by Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Police, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Council, and Moray Council.