The first European Road Safety Day was on Friday, 27th April 2007 and was dedicated to young drivers. This day was linked with the first worldwide road safety week (23rd April to 29th April 2007), and was organised by the World Health Organisation and the United Nations.

Even if it’s a good thing to do, we shouldn’t need it. We should all be able to take our responsibilities seriously without other people reminding us to be careful.

If people decide to drive, they should also decide to be careful at what they are doing. If people aren’t ready to be vigilant, then they should get somebody who is an experienced driver to drive them.

In France, in 2006, about 4700 people died and 100,200 people were injured in road accidents. That’s 43% less than in 2002, but is still too much. It doesn’t seem so terrible when you see an accident reported on the news, or on the internet as those involved are strangers, but when it is somebody you know, you realise how bad it really is.

About two months ago, a 15-year-old boy from my village was on his way to school, on his motorbike, after the Christmas holidays. He was driving too fast in wet conditions, lost control of his bike and crashed into the cars coming the opposite way.

He died, leaving behind family and many friends, my sister and I among them. In fact, our whole village was devastated by his death. And he is only one person, so imagine loosing 4700 people in only one year.

Before our friend was killed, I couldn’t understand why my parents didn’t want me to have a scooter or a motorbike, like many of my friends have. They kept telling me that at my age I am too young to have one or to understand the responsibilities I would have towards myself and other road users. (In France, the law permits a 50cc scooter or motorbike from the age of 14). But since my friend’s accident, I can understand what they meant, and I now no longer have much interest in having one.

In second year of secondary school, we have to pass a test called ‘l’ASSR’. It’s a questionnaire of about 20 questions on road safety, and we need 10 right answers to pass the test. Then, after that, we need to go to a driving school to pass the second part of the test called ‘Le BSR’. That costs about €150 currently.

Driving a car is something else though! I can’t wait to be old enough to drive. Here, the legal minimum age for learning to drive a car is 16 years of age, but if you want to drive on the road, you need to be accompanied by either a parent, or a responsible person approved of by your parents, with a full driving licence.

The accompanied driver must be a minimum of 28 years of age, and have a full driving licence for more than 3 years. Approximately 80% of these young learner drivers pass their driving test, whereas older learners don’t seem to be as lucky. Of the older learner drivers who do their driving test, approximately 50% of them pass it first time.

If even one person reading this pays a little more attention while driving, then European Road Safety Day will be worthwhile.