31.01.11 A recent study amongst sixth form and college students in Gloucestershire found that many of them were concerned with their parents’ behaviour behind the wheel.
Each group shared stories of their parents poor attitude to road safety and how they set bad examples behind the wheel, from making excuses for drinking and driving, to answering a mobile phone or speeding. And many young people felt powerless to challenge them.
Breaking the habit…
Mobile Phones
The excuse? “It’s fine, it’s only like chatting to a passenger…”
- Using a mobile phone when driving, means you are four times more likely to crash;
- Your reaction times are affected, and even if you are hands-free, you are still distracted by the conversation;
- Never make or answer a phone call when driving, or attempt to send a text message;
- Callers have a role to play too, if you know someone is driving, do not attempt to call and distract them.
The advice is simple – if you have a mobile phone, SWITCH OFF BEFORE YOU DRIVE OFF. See our Fact Sheets page for more information.
And if you’re still not convinced, take the Department for Transport’s driving challenge.
Speeding
The excuse? “I can handle it, I’ve got quick reactions…”
- Speed is still one of the biggest contributory factors in fatal road accidents;
- In 2008, 4,685 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes where speed was reported a contributing factor;
- The speed limit is the maximum permitted speed on a road - it is not a target to aim for.
The advice is simple – you don’t have to be driving over the speed limit to be driving too fast – take into account road and traffic conditions.
Drinking and Driving
The excuse? “I can handle my drink, and I’m a very careful driver…”
- Drinking any amount of alcohol and then driving can affect your ability to drive safely;
- There’s no foolproof way of knowing how much you can drink and still drive safely;
- A conviction for drink driving can ruin your life, and can affect your job, your relationship, your home, your social life, etc;
- A conviction for drink driving stays on your record for 11 years.
The advice is simple – if you intend to drive, don’t touch a drop.
See our Facts Sheets page for more information.
For further information see: RoadSafe for Parents.
