One of the stars of the Northern Ireland football team is backing a new road safety campaign.
Northern Ireland international and Liverpool FC defender Conor Bradley has put his name to the Department for Infrastructure’s Share The Road To Zero initiative.
It comes after 71 people died on the region’s roads in 2023, up from 55 in 2022 and 50 in 2021.
Speaking ahead of Northern Ireland’s Nations League match against Bulgaria on Sunday evening, the 21-year-old player said he is aware of how devastating crashes can be, and hopes to spread the road safety message to young people.
“More than one quarter of all speeding offences last year involved young drivers and, as a young person, that is a message I would like to share,” he said.
“By signing up to the campaign I hope to remind others to be more careful on the roads, watch their speed and stay off their phones.”
The Irish Football Association (IFA), Northern Ireland Football League, Ulster GAA, PSNI, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Sustrans NI and councils have also backed the campaign.
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said one of the best ways to ensure safety on the roads and eliminate death and serious injury by 2050 is by changing road user behaviour.
“We all have a personal responsibility to behave in a way that keeps ourselves and others safe, and my department’s Share The Road To Zero campaign reminds us of that,” he said.
“The sad reality is that, if we do not change our own attitudes when we are using the roads, our death toll will continue to increase.
“I am delighted to have the IFA and Conor sign up to the pledge and would encourage others to follow in their footsteps and help us all Share The Road To Zero.”
IFA president Conrad Kirkwood said: “Sadly the number of people who have lost their lives on the roads has risen.
“We have many supporters who travel to our games and we want everyone to get to and from our matches safely.
“By signing up to Share The Road To Zero we hope we can play a part in reminding people to be responsible on the roads.”
– Pledging to Share The Road To Zero can be done online via www.sharetheroadtozero.com as an individual or as an organisation.