Karters Urged To Join V8 Stars Supporting Fatality Free Friday

AKA press release

Young drivers all across Australia are urged to join Australia’s top V8 Supercar drivers by showing their support for ‘Fatality Free Friday’, a day aimed to see a zero road toll across the country next Friday, May 16.

The second annual ‘Fatality Free Friday’ aims to see a zero road toll for 24 hours, and people are being asked to sign a pledge to concentrate on safe driving and road use for the day.

Current V8 Supercar Championship Series leader Rick Kelly along with his ex-karting compatriots Mark Winterbottom and Andrew Thompson recently signed the pledge to show their support for next Friday’s event.

Winterbottom, who drives for the Ford Performance Racing outfit, started his motorsport career in karts at the age of 10 and he believes the lessons learnt on the karting track have not only assisted him in his racing career but also when he is driving on the road.

“By the time I got my road licence I’d already been racing for almost six years and racing karts at 110 km/h taught me respect for a motor vehicle,” said Winterbottom.

“I didn’t have the need to go out on the street to try and get a thrill, you’ve got to know your limits. A racetrack is there to be raced on and push the car to the limits whereas the road is there to be used safely and get from A to B.

“While I’ve signed the pledge for ‘Fatality Free Friday’ everyday for me is the same, each time I get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle safety is the number one thing and speeding is always left until I’m on the race circuit.”

The Australian Karting Association (AKA) is urging all members to get behind the cause of ‘Fatality Free Friday’ with the aim of achieving a zero road toll for 24 hours.

Karting is regarded as not only a breeding ground for the future stars of motorsport but it is also a well known way that young children are able to learn the basic driving skills and car control many years before they are allowed to drive on the road.

Over the past 10 years the number of AKA members who have been lost in fatal road accidents can be counted on one hand, and while this is a low number from the 10,000 plus members over this time, it is still too many.

The AKA encourages every club holding an event this weekend to download the appropriate forms by clicking here.

People can also show their support of ‘Fatality Free Friday’ by signing the guestbook here.

To get behind ‘Fatality Free Friday’ please visit www.fatalityfreefriday.com

Home