London,
13
February
2011
|
23:00
Europe/London

Youth road safety film shortlisted for big award

A road safety injury reduction scheme run by Hackney Council has been recognised for its excellence by being nominated for the 2011 London Transport Awards.

A study of the casualty data in Hackney found that a high number of Black African Caribbean people were involved in road crashes and a high number also became road casualties. The council obtained funding from TfL for the Injury and Inequality programme, which aims to provide road safety information for African and Caribbean residents, both young and old, and then surveyed groups of residents as to how best to do this.

A group of young people aged 14-19 years chose to make a film, “Concrete Dream”, which is now being promoted across YouTube and Vimeo. It will also form the core of lesson plans which can be utilised by teachers, road safety officers and professional bodies.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "Most young people believe that death or serious injury from an accident is going to happen to someone else and is too far removed from their everyday life, so consider that the conventional road safety messages don’t apply to them.

“The feedback we’re getting from young people so far about “Concrete Dreams” is that it does make them think about changing their behaviour. If we save just one life, that’s a job well done, and it’s encouraging to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award. Even the experts think we’re doing this right!”

The London Transport Awards recognise excellence in transport, rewarding innovation and progress for transport initiatives which are really working.

Concrete Dreams has been nominated in the category, Most Effective Road Safety, Traffic Management and Enforcement. The Awards will be announced on 28 April 2011 at the Novotel, London West.

Ends

Notes to editors

Pic of filming taking place. also see the film at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxfDpd_6RI

More information on the London Transport Awards can be found at http://www.transporttimesevents.co.uk/awards.php

More information: Susie Haywood, Hackney Council Press Office, 020 8356 2869, susie.haywood@hackney.gov.uk