20 December 2006

Belt up for Christmas

This time last year the Houliston family were looking forward to a traditional family Christmas but the festive season came to a tragic halt when 17-year-old Neil Houliston lost his life in a crash on Christmas Day.

Neil's life may well have been saved if he had been wearing a seat belt which is why his father Keith is supporting LARSOA's Christmas message - belt up.

The Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association is urging drivers and passengers to wear a seat belt whether in the front or rear of the vehicle.

Simon Ettinghausen, Chair of LARSOA, says: "Seat belts save lives. Everyone should wear them and at this time of the year when there are poor weather conditions a lot more collisions occur on the roads. You are far more likely to walk away from a crash if you wear a seat belt.

"Our sympathy is with the Houliston family for whom Christmas Day will always be the anniversary of their son's death and it should be remembered that his life could have been saved if he had been wearing his seat belt."

On Christmas morning, after exchanging gifts with his family, Neil drove his sister Gillian to work at a nearby golf club. He was returning home to Thorpe Willoughby in North Yorkshire for Christmas dinner when he took a bend too quickly and collided head on with another car. Neil was killed instantly.

Keith says he and his wife, Elaine, relentlessly nagged their son to wear his seat belt: "But he wouldn't listen. Last Christmas he took a bend too fast, probably because he was still inexperienced as a driver, and it was fatal because he wasn't wearing his seat belt.

"We were all sitting at home wondering where he was. I rang his mobile and found out later the fireman lifting him out of the car had turned it off when he saw it said 'Dad calling'. He couldn't answer it."

Earlier this year at Neil's inquest the coroner said that if Neil had been wearing his seat belt he would probably have suffered nothing worse than whiplash injuries.

Neil had just gained an apprenticeship as an electrician. Keith adds: "He had everything to live for. It is a terrible waste of a young life and none of us will ever be the same again. His death has left a gaping hole in our lives."

Simon adds: "We hope young people and their families will listen to what Keith says and appreciate the trauma his family have had to endure with the loss of Neil.

"I hope young people will read this and choose to belt up and ensure they are around to see in the New Year."

Ends.

For media enquiries please call Alison Ferst on 01287 610404 or 07779 435794.

ABOUT LARSOA

• LARSOA is a national road safety organisation representing road safety officers (RSOs) employed in local government across the UK.

• LARSOA represents 185 of the 200 eligible local authorities across the UK, assisting RSOs to fulfil their statutory role to reduce the number and severity of road casualties through education, training and publicity programmes.

• LARSOA publishes an up-to-date round-up of road safety news from across the UK on its website www.larsoa.org.uk .

• LARSOA also aims to influence national debate - government policy and action together with public opinion. The association works to achieve national recognition for road safety issues, commissions research into behaviour which contributes to road collisions and develops national road safety campaigns.

• The association assists in identifying achievable national targets to reduce the number of collisions on the country's roads.