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The Essex Casualty Reduction Board - 26 January 2007
A heartfelt message to young drivers on this Valentines day

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, young drivers across Essex are to be targeted as part of a new national road safety campaign.

A special Valentine's card is being distributed to young people with the aim of encouraging them to drive safely, especially when they are out in a car as a couple. The card, which looks like a typical Valentine's card from the outside, contains a strong image suggesting the aftermath of a fatal car crash on the inside. This is supported with the message 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to kill you. I was driving too fast.'

The card will be accompanied by a poster campaign aimed at both young drivers and passengers. The posters, which have been designed with the help of sixth form students , are intended to make passengers aware of the risks they face and are based around a 'speed dating' theme. The posters are being displayed at sixth form centres, colleges and universities, nightclubs, pubs, leisure centres and where people congregate throughout the County.

Councillor Rodney Bass, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation and Chairman of the Casualty Reduction Board  said, "This campaign has been tested amongst young people in the target age group. Although they did not necessarily like the message, they admitted it made them stop and think. This is a particularly tough audience to get through to and there is no point in producing material that has no effect.  The images bring home the terrible consequences of driving too fast or without proper care."

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