‘Clunk click’ is back in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire’s road safety team has revived one of the most recognised campaigns in living memory to emphasise the importance of wearing seatbelts. 

‘Clunk click every trip’, was launched by Sir Jimmy Savile in 1972 and the veteran broadcaster – now aged 83 – is supporting this latest version of the campaign by 95 Alive the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety partnership.

The campaign supports the work of the Seatbelt Sheriff, one of the council’s road safety mascots, who helps children to think about the importance of wearing a seatbelt and reminding adults to do the same.

To date, the Sheriff has visited more than 40 schools and sworn in more than 3,500 children as ‘deputies’.   

A recent survey of more than 8,300 vehicles carried out in North Yorkshire indicates that this work is paying off. The number of children not wearing a seat belt had more than halved from 11.3% two years ago to 4.6%. However, the number of drivers and adult passengers wearing seatbelts were slightly down. 

One of the campaign posters features five year old Nathanial Todd, and a special assembly was held at his school, Sharow Primary, near Ripon with the Seatbelt Sheriff.

David Bowe, chair of 95 Alive, said: “This campaign reinforces this simple but totally effective message. Drivers have a moral responsibility for the safety of themselves and all their passengers and  are legally obliged to ensure they and any passenger under the age of 14 is wearing a seatbelt.”
 
For more information contact Janet Gleeson on 01609 798304.