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Driving: Young People

Volume 503: debated on Wednesday 6 January 2010

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent educational programmes his Department has developed which are directed at young drivers; what steps his Department is taking to encourage the wearing of seat belts by young persons; and if he will make a statement. (308227)

The THINK! road safety campaigns target all drivers including young drivers on topics such as driving under the influence of alcohol, drug driving, speeding, motorcycle awareness, seat belt wearing and mobile phone use.

A new seat belt campaign was launched in November 2008, designed to warn drivers and their passengers that without a seat belt they can be killed even at low speeds on short local journeys.

This followed research showing that people are least likely to wear a seat belt in these situations as they believe that they can either brace themselves or be saved by an airbag. The campaign ran on TV, radio, posters, petrol pumps, car park barriers and Youtube. It will be repeated between 1 and 28 February 2010 in the same media excluding Youtube.