Thumbs Up for safe driving this weekend

THE Southern Star is launching a new safe driving campaign to promote road safety this bank holiday weekend and is encouraging readers to give it the Thumbs Up.

Run in association with Local Ireland, the promotional brand of the Regional Newspapers & Printers Association of Ireland (RNPAI), the campaign aims to ensure that people drive safely over the busy October bank holiday weekend.

As part of the campaign, readers are being asked to complete a Thumbs Up for safe driving Survey in this week’s paper. Every person who completes the survey will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of four petrol or diesel vouchers. The questions in the survey relate to the use of mobile phones, wearing of seat belts, speed and drink driving. 

Readers are being encouraged to drive safely over the weekend; not to take risks, to obey the speed limit and to refrain from using mobile phones while driving.

Supt Ger O’Mahony of Clonakilty Garda Station said that drivers need to be conscious of their safety and the safety of other road users while on the roads.

‘An Garda Siochána welcomes The Southern Star campaign for this weekend and any initiative which will contribute to road safety and educating drivers is very welcome,’ said Supt O’Mahony.

‘The four main contributors to accidents are speed, not wearing a seatbelt, using a mobile phone and drinking and driving and we would ask drivers to be aware of these.’

Con Downing, editor of The Southern Star, said that both he and staff are backing this campaign. ‘Working in a newspaper we are only too aware of the consequences on unsafe driving. This is a great campaign and we hope that readers will embrace it,’ said Con.

Thumbs Up to safe driving will also be run across The Southern Star’s Facebook page as well as the website and readers are being encouraged to send in their own selfies of themselves, giving the Thumbs Up for safe driving.

• See page 44 of this week’s paper for the Thumbs Up for safe driving survey