With a new series of hard-hitting billboard posters to be displayed over the next Week as part of its "Ease off the Gas!" road safety campaign, Mayo County Council aims to encourage motorists to drive at an appropriate speed and show consideration for other road users.Residents of County Mayo are hoping new road safety signs will put the brakes on speeding drivers.The aim is to stop people driving too fast through the County.The campaign is launched to coincide with theInternational Road Safety Conference on Speeding which is being held in Dublin Castle on Monday 31st May to discuss the issue of Speeding on our road network and talk about the introduction of safety cameras on Irish roads.

The new billboards show shocking and impressive images of the consequences of speeding and careless driving. The image on the billboard is that of a crashed crash with a sticker on it stating baby on board, the purpose of this is to get motorists to think its not just their own lives they put at risk but that of other road users also. The main target groups of "Ease off the Gas!" are young people and motorcyclists. And it is in these groups, more than anywhere else, that the number of casualties need to be reduced. Every death on our roads is a tragedy and we all need to take the road safety message seriously.

"Speeding is the number one killer on our roads, especially among younger drivers, which is why we're working hard to change driver behaviour. "The campaign's message is very simple, the only way to get to your destination safely is to slow down and stick to the speed limit,'' said Noel Gibbons road safety officer Mayo County Council.

"The consequences of speeding are also devastating for those left behind, including families, friends, workmates and entire communities,"

"Speeding is a choice people make and people can just as easily make the choice to slow down and save lives,

''We encourage people to drive with extra caution to ensure everyone makes it to their destination and home again safely. Safe driving and the rules of the road should be the only thing people are focused on when behind the wheel, particularly where the situation on the road can change in mere seconds," said Superintendent William Keaveney of Castlebar Garda Station.

Facts and Figures - Road safety

• Hit by a car at 60kph (40mph), 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
• Hit by a car at 50kph (30mph), about half of pedestrians will be killed
• Hit by a car at 30kph (20mph), 9 out of 10 pedestrians will survive.
• A 50 km/h (30mph) impact is equivalent to dropping a car from the top of a 2-storey building
• A 100 km/h (60mph) impact is equivalent to dropping 11 storeys
• A 150 km/h (80mph) crash to almost 30 storeys

Research and international experience show that the frequency and severity of road crashes tend to decrease with reductions in average speed.

A 1km/h decrease in average speed results typically in a 3% decrease in road crash frequency. (Source: European Transport Safety Council).

84% of people disapprove of speeding yet 69% do it.

A TNS Survey results show what we really think of our other half's driving - and many of us are scared and angered when our partners speed. The study reveals that among passengers over 60% believe that driving too fast increases the chances that their partner will crash. And emotions run high:

• 24% have felt angered by their significant other's speeding, which they think is 'irresponsible and stupid'.
• 20% are scared, and concerned that they and the driver could be killed or injured.
• 14% worried about the safety of other road users.
• 25% admit to pressing on an imaginary foot brake.
• Only 1% wanted their partners to drive faster.

The law of physics dictate that the higher the speed at impact, the more energy must be rapidly absorbed by hard metal, soft flesh and brittle bone.

Driving at an inappropriate speed is the cause of a quarter of all fatal crashes each year in Ireland. It reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around bends or when visibility is poor and extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle safely.

A 50 km/h impact is equivalent to dropping a car from the top of a two-storey building, a 100 km/h impact is equivalent to dropping a car from eleven storeys.