Road body appeals over exam celebrations

WITH ALMOST 57,000 mainly young people due to receive their Leaving Certificate results today, the Road Safety Authority has appealed for all involved to prevent the celebrations turning to tragedy.

The authority has called on parents of teenagers in particular to enter a "safe-driving agreement" with their children and advised young women to remember the recent "He drives, she dies" campaign.

The safe-driving agreement requires parents and young drivers to make promises about how they will use the road as a driver or even as passenger. The authority suggested these include commitments by car users to:

• not drive between midnight and 6am, the high-risk period for crashes;

• agreeing a limit on the number of their friends who can be carried in the car;

• stick to a zero alcohol and drugs limit;

• not to take a lift with drivers who have been drinking or might have taken drugs;

• discuss with young drivers why you would like them not to speed or take risks;

• to agree only to use their mobile phone when parked;

• to ensure all, especially rear seat passengers, wear seat belts.

The authority reminded parents that only drivers with a full licence should drive unaccompanied - a stricture which may rule out many Leaving Cert students.

Road Safety Authority chief executive Noel Brett said such agreements "are not about being overprotective or unreasonable but are promises between the parent and the young driver for safer driving". "Ask yourself is car use essential tonight. Can public transport, taxis or lifts from parents be the right choice to keep everyone safe tonight and early tomorrow morning?"