Lewis Hamilton named as road safety ambassador
FORMULA ONE World Champion Lewis Hamilton has been named as a 2015 FIA Action for Road Safety Ambassador.
The FIA – which runs all global motorsport, including the F1 championship – is supporting the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 with its own FIA Action for Road Safety campaign, which aims to promote awareness of road safety.
Road accidents kill 1.3 million every year and injure 50 million more. Road collisions kill around 1.3m people worldwide every year and injure 50m more.
As an F1 driver, and even more now as a World Champion, I feel I have a responsibility to promote safe driving outside the track
They are the number one killer of 15-29 year olds and 500 children die on the world’s roads every day.
The announcement of British world champion Hamilton – who will start the defence of his title in Melbourne this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix – as a road safety ambassador came at the same time as the launch of a new online pledge, which contains 10 golden rules, a set of tips that are intended to help all motorists improve their driving behaviour and remind them of their responsibilities to themselves, their passengers and all other road users.
Drivers promise to:
Belt up – all passengers are my responsibility
Respect the Highway Code – rules are there to protect us all
Obey the speed limit – my car is made of metal, pedestrians and children are not
Check my tyres – both for wear and for correct inflation, including the spare
Drive sober – when I am drunk or on drugs, I am a danger on the road
Protect my children – keep them safe in car seats
Pay attention – calling and texting make me dangerous
Stop when I’m tired – getting there late is better than not at all
Wear a helmet – motorbikes and bicycles don’t protect my head
Be courteous and considerate – respect other drivers
Hamilton said: “As an F1 driver, and even more now as a World Champion, I feel I have a responsibility to promote safe driving outside the track.
"The FIA’s 10 Golden Rules are simple rules that everyone should follow. I strongly encourage my fans to respect them and show their support by signing the pledge.”
