A national charity is calling on emergency services to register now for Road Safety Week 2011 (21st-27th November) to join a major campaign to stop the needless loss of young lives on UK roads.

In previous years, emergency services have played a key role in the event, delivering awareness-raising activities across the UK.

This major national event, each year involving thousands of communities, organisations, schools and colleges, is coordinated by the charity Brake with support from QBE insurance and courier company FedEx. The 2011 theme is 'Too Young to Die', highlighting that road crashes are sudden, violent events, often involving young people, but that they can be prevented. Road crashes are more likely to kill young people than any other cause.

Emergency services can register now to access FREE advice and resources to help them get involved. Go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk and click on 'road safety professionals' for ideas and to order a free action pack. The pack includes downloadable posters, activity ideas and a factsheet on the theme.

Brake is appealing to emergency services to help make this year's Road Safety Week the biggest yet, during the first year of the global UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.

Emergency services can use the week to launch year-round road safety initiatives, raise awareness among a wider audience through working with local partners, and gain publicity for their activities by linking to this flagship national event.

Brake's long-running 2Young2Die educational programme can be used by emergency services during Road Safety Week to increase awareness among young people about staying safe as drivers and passengers. It includes an annual competition, workshops, and website www.2young2die.org.uk. Brake campaigns director Julie Townsend says: "Brake really values the involvement of the emergency services in Road Safety Week. Emergency services carry out vital road safety work year-round, but Road Safety Week is an opportunity to gain publicity and raise wider awareness by linking activities to a flagship national event. Emergency services are so well placed to convince young people of the importance of taking crucial steps to stay safe as drivers and passengers, so we're urging all services to get involved this year, and register online now to tell us what you're planning and get your free action pack."

For more information visit: www.brake.org.uk/2young2die.

 

Posted August 31st, 2011 at 1155 by Andrew. Comment by emailing: andrew.lynch@pavpub.com