Monday 8th March 2010
A starkly emotional new advertising campaign launches today to remind drivers in the West of Scotland of the benefits of driving below twenty miles per hour in residential areas. At its centre is a dramatic 30 second advertisement which focuses on every parent’s nightmare – the knock at the door with the worst of bad news.
The campaign is the work of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum and follows on the success of the Forum’s previous road safety campaigns, which helped towards reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads throughout the West of Scotland.
The facts are simple. If you hit a child at 40mph, nine out of ten will die. If you hit a child at 20mph, nine out of ten children will live.
The 12 local authorities that make up the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum have all introduced 20mph areas or limits into roads around schools and residential areas to protect pedestrians and cyclists. Since twenty mile an hour areas were introduced, the effect on pedestrian casualties has been striking. In the West of Scotland between 2006 and 2009 there was 1 fatal pedestrian casualty in 20mph zones, however there were 58 pedestrian fatalities on 30mph roads. In the same period, there were 11 serious pedestrian casualties in 20mph zones, but on 30mph roads there were 872 serious pedestrian casualties.*
Councillor Hendrie, Chair of the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, said,
“I’m delighted to launch this impactful campaign in West Dunbartonshire Council. Twenty mph zones and areas can help save lives and make people feel more secure when they are out walking or cycling on those roads. There is no question of the value of the twenty mph zones. But we still need to remind drivers of the huge difference in survival rates between accidents at 40mph and accidents at 20mph.
"As well as the radio campaign highlighting the dangers of exceeding 20mph, we have lots of community involvement in this initiative through community councils, tenants and residents associations, and schools. We all benefit from 20mph zones – but vulnerable road users, especially our children, are the ones who will benefit the most.”
Councillor Hendrie added,
“There are many reasons why people speed: time pressures, distractions, tailgating and a sense that ‘everyone else is doing it’. The message of our campaign is that 20mph really is the maximum speed in residential areas and outside schools. Even a few miles an hour over 20mph can make all the difference between life and death. It’s everyone’s responsibility to make our roads safer for our communities, so remember – Twenty really is Plenty!”
Mr Ian Anderson, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow said,
“The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow strongly supports the 20's Plenty campaign. Road traffic trauma remains a scourge of modern-day living and is largely preventable and well within our means. Health Services have to deal with its immediate and later clinical aftermath. Individuals and families are left with the human tragedy of loss of a loved one, or a lifetime commitment to care and support. The College urges everyone to adhere to the best known advice on prevention, namely ‘speed kills’ and ‘speed maims’”.
For more information, visit www.roadsafetywestscotland.com/twenty
