I was pleased to speak in support of the Safe Drive, Stay Alive project in a Members’ Debate in Parliament.
It is fantastic work that is undertaken by the central safe drive group, and their achievements deserve to be recognised. It is especially important to raise awareness of the vital work undertaken in the safe drive roadshow in highlighting the risks of dangerous driving to young people, as well as the success it has had in reducing accidents.
I raised a motion on this issue after seeing the roadshow myself a few weeks ago in Stirling, a copy of the motion is below to see. The roadshow delivered an exceptionally hard-hitting message and managed to engage the entire audience.
With regards to the funding of the project, I wrote to the three council areas it covers and they came back with very positive responses, stating their commitment to future funding. I also wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, and I hope to hear back from them. After all, we need co-ordination to ensure that the hard-working group is not having to run around trying to get funding.
I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the project, and wish it every success for the future.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x14Y2u64O0[/embedyt]
Motion Number: S5M-04079
Lodged By: Alex Rowley
Date Lodged: 16/02/2017
Title: Safe Drive Stay Alive Roadshow
Motion Text:
That the Parliament congratulates the success of the tenth annual Safe Drive Stay Alive roadshow in Stirling; understands that thousands of young people from across central Scotland have attended over the years; welcomes the attempt that it makes to raise awareness regarding careless and inattentive driving among young people; appreciates the time given by Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the NHS and all of the volunteers who contribute; thanks the members of families who have taken part because they had lost a loved one in a car accident; appreciates the contributions from Jennifer Howie and David Galloway who experienced life-changing injuries as young people; notes with concern that, due to funding concerns, 2017 could be the last year that Central Safe Drive is able to organise the event; acknowledges that support has been made through local authorities, businesses and other grants but that, in the current financial climate, the organisers are finding it difficult to raise the £23,000 needed to stage the show in 2018, and wishes the volunteers every success in their endeavours to keep what it sees as this vital production going.
