A NEW campaign has been launched in a bid to stop young drivers taking “extreme risks” behind the wheel.

Road safety charity Brake and Co-operative Insurance have joined forces for an initiative to help cut the “shocking” number of deaths among young people on the roads.

The campaign backs calls made as part of the Lancashire Telegraph’s Wasted Lives campaign aimed at cutting the death toll of young drivers in the county.

Brake and Co-op Insurance have launched a new 2 Young 2 Die website, which highlights the deadly results of bad driving but also provides an opportunity for young people to learn why safe driving is crucial.

Mary Williams, Brake chief executive, said: “We urge young people, teachers and parents to visit the site and use it. It could make the difference between a young driver driving drunk or speeding this weekend and killing all of their friends, or everyone making it safely home."

Road crashes remain the leading cause of death for young people.

Brake said many young drivers take extreme risks such as overtaking on blind corners, speeding and driving while drunk or drugged, and gamble with their own lives and the lives of their friends and other drivers.

David Neave, director of general insurance at Co-operative Insurance, said: “We believe that education aimed at young drivers is key to reducing the number of young people killed on our roads. We want to empower as many young adults from across the spectrum of our society with the awareness they need to stay alive on the roads.”

The 2 Young 2 Die website contains first-hand accounts of the horrors of road crashes from people who have been bereaved or seriously injured and includes sections on speeding, drink and drug driving, driving whilst tired, driving distractions, not wearing a seat belt and vehicle maintenance.