The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Young men advised to ‘drive as if your granny’s in the car’
Campaign targets ‘at risk’ drivers aged between 20 and 29
Forget the peril of backseat drivers, how about taking on a driving challenge when your gran is your conscience?
At Knockhill racing circuit this weekend, visitors are being invited to take part in a real-life Gran Kart experience as part of the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland #DriveSmart campaign.
This has been encouraging young male drivers, aged between 20 and 29, to “drive like their grandmothers” in a bid to get them to adopt safer driving habits.
Following the success of three videos shared on social media, visitors to Knockhill, which hosts the British Touring Car Championships at the weekend, will be asked to enter through “gran’s living room” and compete on an indoor go-kart circuit in which they will have to avoid obstacles and distractions – including “gran” herself.
The winner will be the driver who hits the fewest obstacles before crossing the finish line.
More than 61% of Scottish men aged 20 to 29 consider themselves to be either very good or excellent drivers but the latest figures reveal more than 2,040 were involved in accidents, with 314 killed or seriously injured.
This age group was also more likely to be involved in an accident than any other.
However, they also claim to drive better with “precious cargo” in the car and worry about letting down family members, including gran, by engaging in poor driving behaviour, such as texting or speeding.
Road Safety Scotland director Michael McDonnell said: “We’ve had a positive response to the campaign so far, with young men in the target age group actively engaging with our gran content on social media helping us to share our #DriveSmart message.”