Environment Minister, Alex Attwood MLA has welcomed Down District Council’s support for the DOE’s ‘Share the Road to Zero’ road safety campaign.
Minister Atwood met with Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mickey Coogan on Friday 7 June at the Down Civic Centre to encourage more people to sign up to the campaign.
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DOE Minister Alex Attwood pictured with Brídín Becket, DOE Road Safety section, and Down District Council outgoing chairman Councillor Mickey Coogan get the message across about the Road to Zero deaths in the district.[/caption]
‘Share the Road To Zero’ is an innovative campaign by DOE to try and get citizens in Northern Ireland to sign up to a path towards no deaths on our roads and in turn pledging to use the roads safely.
Minister Alex Attwood said: “Share the Road to Zero is a huge community programme with one aim – zero road deaths in Northern Ireland. In 2012 the number of road deaths in the region reached its lowest level since records began in 1931. However, already this year 21 families have been left heartbroken and every one of those road deaths is one too many.
The goal of reducing road deaths to zero is a shared community responsibility. As such, I want to encourage everyone to join up on a journey towards zero road deaths. Any organisation can support this aspiration by pledging and encouraging members or employees to pledge and adopt safer behaviours on the roads.
“As road users, we all have responsibility to behave appropriately – as a driver, a passenger, motorcyclist, cyclist or pedestrian so that we do not take risks and we do not put our own lives or anyone else’s in danger.”
“Down District Council plays an important role in the community. This means that their support for the Share the Road to Zero campaign will be influential in saving lives and achieving zero road deaths in Northern Ireland.”
Councillor Coogan, outgoing Council Chairman said: “Down District Council is proud to support this campaign as it reinforces the importance of ongoing council and local government road safety initiatives that ultimately aim to prevent road accidents in our area. I would encourage road users in the district to pledge their support for the campaign by visiting the DOE road safety website www.sharetheroadtozero.com and would remind them to consciously think about driving safely every time they take to the roads.”
Organisations and individuals can view the television campaign and pledge on www.sharetheroadtozero.com and share through Facebook and Twitter.
The new DOE Road Safety campaign was launched by Minister Alex Attwood on 24 April 2013 at The Movie House Cinema, Dublin Road, Belfast.
The main causes of road deaths and serious injuries continue to be speeding, drink or drug driving and driver carelessness and inattention.
So far this year, 21 people have been killed on our roads.
The Highway Code provides advice to all road users about how to be responsible and to act appropriately to improve their personal safety and the safety of others while using the road.
A free copy of the Highway Code is available to download from the NI Direct website .
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