Road safety campaign nets Giant winter sign-up

The Giants are the latest high profile sporting organisation to sign up to the Share the Road to Zero campaign, led by their captain Mark Cooper.

Ulster Rugby, the Irish Football Association, the Northern Ireland Football League and Ulster GAA also backed the campaign this year.

Sadly, so far in 2024, 60 people have died due to road traffic collisions.

Mark Cooper has now registered more than 180 appearances for the Giants since arriving in Belfast from Canada for the 2021/22 season.

He was appointed captain ahead of the 2023/24 season, during which he led the club to its successful Champions Hockey League campaign and the Elite League Playoff Final.

Speaking ahead of their game against Coventry Blaze on Wednesday evening, Mark said: “The SSE Arena sits between six and 8,000 people so we will have a bunch of families and people driving to the game.

“Leaving extra early and making sure you give yourself enough time is ideal to keep you and your family safe.

“Without question, road safety is of the utmost importance for everyone, so I’m pleased that we can lend our support to such a vital cause and the Belfast Giants are proud to be supporting the all-important Share the Road to Zero initiative.”

Minister John O’Dowd said: “We are delighted to have The Belfast Giants sign up to our Share the Road to Zero Campaign and to encourage their fans who travel to games to take care and responsibility on the roads.

“The winter is on top of us and the roads can be treacherous with snow, frost and heavy rainfall and every action you take as a road user ensures you arrive home safely and your loved ones arrive home safely.

“One of the best ways to ensure safety on our roads and fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating 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. 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.

“We can all potentially save a life if we RoadWise Up. Pay attention, slow down, wear your seat belt, don’t use your mobile phone while driving and never, ever drink or take drugs and drive.”

Steve Thornton, group head of commercial and hockey at The Odyssey Trust, commented: “Undoubtedly, it’s incredibly sad to hear that the number of people who have lost their lives on Northern Ireland’s roads has risen.

“By signing up to the Share the Road to Zero campaign, we hope that the Belfast Giants can play a role in reminding people to be responsible on the roads at all times.”

Pledging to ‘Share the Road to Zero’ can be done online via www.sharetheroadtozero.com as an individual or as an organisation.