Youth organization TeamAlert starts an action to combat nitrous oxide use in the car by young people. The ‘Rij Ballonvrij’ campaign mainly tries to make it clear to young people online that laughing gas in traffic is life-threatening.
On the website www.rijballonvrij.nl you can find information from Thursday about the consequences of laughing gas on driving behavior. The site also contains information about available campaign material. Municipalities and provinces can use that material to help spread the campaign message. TeamAlert carries out the campaign on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
Nitrous oxide use among young people has increased enormously in recent years. Based on previous research, TeamAlert states that young people often use the laughing gas when going out and in the car. “The car is the place for young people to use the drug. The step to then drive under the influence of laughing gas is small and because of the effect of laughing gas, the young people no longer see the dangers of driving under the influence”, according to the youth organization. . “They meander from lane to lane, drive too fast or too slow or lose control of their car, with all the consequences that entails.”
Rij Balloonvrij is not only aimed at drivers who use nitrous oxide, but also the passengers in the car. Research by TeamAlert shows that they do not hold each other accountable for their dangerous behavior.