IT IS a hard-hitting approach and one which courts controversy - yet sometimes hitting hard is the only way to get across a difficult message.

A new campaign in York aims to alert young people to the tragic consequences of driving dangerously.

To tie in with Valentine's Day, the campaign is using mock cards which carry the message: Dear Valentine... Sorry I Killed You. The cards feature a hand-written note from a grieving boyfriend and a picture of a vehicle smashed up in an accident.

The cards are being handed out across York at night clubs, leisure centres and colleges. The aim is simple: to shock young drivers into a sense of responsibility. And as such, this campaign can only be welcomed.

Young drivers can put themselves and others at risk through a combination of inexperience and bravado. They are also notoriously difficult to connect with on safety issues - even though they are, statistically speaking, the most likely to have accidents caused by speed.

The campaign hopes to engage passengers as well, many of whom are young women. Anyone travelling in a car that is being driven dangerously or too fast should speak up and ask the driver to slow down.

A moment's stupidity or recklessness can lead to death or injury, and have consequences affecting many lives for a very long time. So in that light, the Valentine's card campaign is an imaginative and up-to-the-minute idea.

Updated: 09:49 Monday, February 14, 2005