Loreto pupils see absolutely no need 2 speed
PUPILS from Loreto Secondary School in Bray attended the launch of a road safety DVD in the Mansion House, Dublin last week where they met Enniskerry model Rosanna Davison.
The DVD targets young drivers by teaching them the differences between a rally car and a road going car. It is to be distributed in schools across Ireland. Featuring road safety advice from professional world rally driver Shaun Gallagher, the Gulf Oil No Need 2 Speed DVD was launched by the fuel distributor and the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr. Emer Costello.
Car crashes are the number one killer of young men in Ireland, with one in five fatal crashes involving a male between the ages of 17-24 years of age. The No Need 2 Speed DVD educates young drivers by having the 2007 World Rally Championship (WRC) Rookie of the Year, Shaun Gallagher, demonstrating the vital differences between a road tyre and a rally car tyre; a comparison of the braking distance of the two types of vehicle, and how improved suspension in a rally car plays a significant role in road handling.
He also highlights the numerous safety features of a rally car such as a roll cage, five point safety harness, crash helmet and fireproof clothing as well as the compulsory Hans device that reduces the chances of head and neck injuries.
'Too many young drivers believe they can control cars like professional rally drivers,' said Shaun. 'The fact is that they can't as there is a huge difference between a road car and a rally car. This DVD is an important step in teaching young people to slow down on our roads.'
The students heard that a 17 year old male is 8 times more likely to be involved in a crash than a middle aged man. 'This DVD is a tremendous and innovative way of reaching out to our youth and teaching them the dangers of speeding,' said Cllr. Costello. 'This DVD will become a valuable educational tool in our fight to stop our saddening loss of young life in this country '
No Need 2 Speed is made in association with the European Road Safety Charter and is supported by the World Rally Championship. Those interested in obtaining a copy can log onto www.gulfoil.ie for further details.
