Twenty-one McDonald’s restaurants across Wales support campaign to educate young people about responsible driving.
Local McDonald’s franchisee Ron Mounsey today announces his support for a campaign which aims to educate young people in Wales about the dangers and consequences of poor driving.
The campaign, pertinently called ‘Deadly Mates’, was set up to tackle the high number of young people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions on Welsh roads. In 2009, 24 young people aged between 17 and 24 were killed either as drivers, passengers or riders in road traffic accidents in Wales – nearly a quarter of all fatalities.
Ron Mounsey and his team of staff at seven of his restaurants across Carmarthen, Swansea, Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock, will distribute over 70,000 ‘Deadly Mates’ leaflets to young people visiting the restaurants and drive-thru areas this year. The leaflets, along with hard-hitting posters set to be displayed in the restaurants, prompt young drivers to think more responsibly about driving safely and tackle the issue of peer pressure, encouraging young passengers to speak up if they feel their friends are driving carelessly.
Deadly Mates is funded and managed by the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership and supported by the four Welsh police forces, local authorities, Welsh Assembly Government, HMCS and the emergency services. Ron Mounsey’s involvement follows a successful pilot launch in Bangor and Caernarfon in 2008, and it is one of twenty-one McDonald’s restaurants across Wales supporting the initiative.
Ron Mounsey said: “This is the first time we’ve decided to proactively give out leaflets to our young customers and it’s because we believe the Deadly Mates campaign can have a real impact. The posters and leaflets are very hard hitting and young drivers are going to be given them just at a time when they could make all the difference. We serve thousands of young people in our restaurants and drive-thrus every month so we hope our involvement will raise awareness of the risks of reckless driving and peer distraction and directly help reduce the number of accidents and deaths of young people on Welsh roads.”
Jim Moore, manager of the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, said: “Unfortunately, far too many young people are losing their lives every year in road traffic collisions in Wales, either as passengers or drivers. By linking up with McDonald’s, we hope to get the message out there that poor driving can have devastating consequences for those behind the wheel and their passengers.”
Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service RTC Reduction Officer said: “It is great to be working with partners from the public and private sectors, in order to educate young people on road safety. McDonald’s has a huge potential to reach young drivers who visit their restaurants and should be applauded for their commitment to the safety of their customers. We would encourage all young drivers to engage in Pass Plus and other advanced driving courses.”