Your County - Putting Kent First

Kent 4 star Council

Young Drivers

You have a licence to drive not a licence to kill

In January 2007 over 2,000 students from Kent & Medway filed excitedly into theatres and cinemas over three days to see a road safety production.

As the music blared and lights flashed they settled into their seats chatting about everyday life.

The mood changed as Licence to Kill? began to unfold on stage and the faces from the film literally stepped onto stage. Pausing the film for a moment, they spoke to the audience about their experiences, the reactions of the driver and passengers, the medical implications and how seeing such trauma and tragedy has affected them personally.

By the end of the performance the students were simply shell shocked and many were left in tears. What they had just witnessed dismissed the myth 'it will never happen to me' forever.

As students left they were handed a packet of forget-me-not seeds as a way to remember those who had tragically lost their lives on our roads.

In the last three years over 500 people aged 16-18 were killed or injured on Kent & Medway roads. Young drivers are much more likely to be involved in a crash on the roads, often due to inexperience and a lack of knowledge of the risks.

Licence to Kill? is produced by a road safety partnership that has been working for years to reduce the number of people dying on our roads. Whilst reductions are occurring a disproportionate number of deaths and injuries remain young inexperienced drivers. The Licence to Kill? campaign reaches new and pre-drivers in an emotive and hard-hitting way, influencing behaviour and attitude on our roads. To find out more about this campaign please visit the Licence to Kill? website.

Copyright Kent County Council 2008