Katherine Legge has added her voice to Champ Car's campaign designed to encourage fans to drive safely as the holiday season kicks into top gear with the Thanksgiving festivities this week.

The British driver joined rivals Will Power, Simon Pagenaud and Dan Clarke to visit Hamilton Southeastern High School in Indiana to spread the word about keep 'Hands on the Wheel' while driving, with the message not to send text messages while on the move particularly apt for students.

The quartet talked to a select group of student leaders about the 'Hands on the Wheel' campaign launched in August, and encouraged them to spread the word among their peers and family members ahead of the holiday season.

“Champ Car gets involved in lots of good causes, but this is one we're really passionate about,” Legge explained, “It's one that does really predominate in a lot of young people's minds.”

The programme encourages drivers to taking simple steps to avoid distraction, and sign an online pledge to follow guidelines and refrain from many unsafe driving habits, such as text messaging, street racing or not using a safety belt. Two recent studies estimated that a third of all young drivers text while driving, so the campaign is being aimed at that group in particular.

“When you're driving a 200mph Champ Car, you absolutely have to concentrate on what you're doing,” said Power, who won two Champ Car races in 2007, “But just because you're going slower while driving your regular car on public roads doesn't mean you don't have to concentrate. You need to be focused any time you get behind the wheel of any car.”