Trying to stop young people driving fast is like trying to stop a soccer fan from ever kicking a ball, according to a leading young rally driver.
Speaking after the launch of a road safety initiative by Motorsport Ireland today in Dublin, Toni Kelly (22) from Donegal said that that young people need to be given a safe, alternative outlet to enjoy motorsport.
She maintained that providing an alternative will help educate young people about the difficulties involved in driving like a rally driver and lessen the temptation to speed on public roads.
The initiative, which involves a partnership between Motorsport Ireland and the Road Safety Authority was launched this morning in Dublin by the president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Jean Todt.
From today, all participants in Irish four-wheeled motorsport events will display the UN Decade for Road Safety tag to encourage road safety.
Mr Todt said: "Irish efforts to improve road safety have been most impressive, winning admiration around the globe but we still believe that we can do more and that motorsport can help."
As a part of the campaign, Motorsport Ireland will try to get two core messages across to young drivers that follow their sport - that taking risks on public roads isn't cool and that young people wishing to practice their driving skills can do so in a controlled environment of official events.
The problem of young people trying to be cool by driving fast was one that professional rally driver Craig Breen (21) has experienced amongst his friends.
"I have to be the worst passenger in a car ever. I'm petrified whenever someone tries to show off and drive fast," he said.
"I always stress the point that driving a rally car is totally different to a normal car on public roads," he said.
When asked whether he thought that rally events encouraged dangerous driving, Mr Breen said that it was like blaming a boxing club for a fight that happens outside a chip shop.
"The rally fraternity genuinely does have an interest in the sport and understand what's involved," he said.
Representing the Road Safety Authority at the launch, its chief executive Noel Brett said he was delighted with the initiative by Motorsport Ireland.
"It will show that if you love driving and you love motorsport, then you should respect the roads and drive safely," he said.