Road safety news in brief from the w/comm 9 October.
- Charity promotes road safety to 15-24 year olds (13 Oct)
- Video: UK professionals take part in European Summer School (13 Oct)
- 2016 collision data plotted on online map (12 Oct)
- Services will celebrate the lives of those killed on the road (12 Oct)
- GEM provides deer warning ahead of mating season (11 Oct)
- Free motorcycle taster initiative adds extra dates for October (09 Oct)
Click here to read the road safety news in brief from the week commencing 2 October.
13 Oct: 14.00
Charity promotes road safety to 15-24 year olds
A Hampshire-based charity is using its stage performance competitions to help promote road safety messages to young people.
The Be Your Best Foundation, the charity behind the Rock Challenge, is adopting the Project Pictogram principles: inappropriate speed, using a mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt and drink/drug driving.
The Rock Challenge shows engage thousands of young people each year, and hope to provide positive guidance for young people around safe group travel.
David Beal, CEO of the Be Your Best Foundation, said: “Rock Challenge is clearly a celebration of dance and drama and we are happy to support the messages of Project Pictogram.
“These messages highlight the distraction risks smartphone technology or in-car entertainment can pose to young pedestrians, cyclists, and inexperienced drivers and their young passengers.
“Introducing safe group travel habits early, before young people start travelling independently in cars is an important lesson. The distraction messages around smartphones and headphones are immediately relevant to all our performers.”
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13 Oct: 12.00
Video: UK professionals take part in European Summer School
A number of UK road safety professionals participated in the 2017 European Road Safety Summer School, which took place in Mechelen, Belgium.
The five-day European Road Safety Summer School (28 Aug-1 Sept) presented an integrated approach to road safety, based on good examples from across Europe. The course, organised by the VSV (Flemish Foundation for Traffic Knowledge), also provided networking and knowledge exchange opportunities.
The course was supported by Road Safety GB, with three UK speakers featuring on the agenda: Liz Brooker MBE, vice chair of Road Safety GB; Jeremy Phillips, director of research at Road Safety GB; and Marie Woltman, Devon County Council’s road safety data analyst.
Themes and topics across the five days included exploring the safe system approach, with a particular focus on vision and strategy, target setting and data-driven policy. Presentations focused on specific risk groups and vulnerable road users including young drivers, pedestrians and cyclists also featured on the programme.
THURSDAY 12 OCTOBER
12 Oct: 12.15
2016 collision data plotted on online map
A free web mapping service which shows details of road collisions and casualties across Britain now includes data for 2016, released by the DfT last month.
Developed by Buchanan Computing – a specialist supplier of software, training and web mapping for traffic professionals – CollisionMap.uk can be used without the need for registration.
Buchanan Computing says that while collision data is made available to the public by the Government, it is presented in a format that is ‘difficult to visually interpret’. In contrast, it says that Collisionmap.uk ‘ provides everyone the ability to have free access to this important dataset in an understandable format’.
Whether it be the whole of Great Britain or an individual street, users can locate their chosen area and view data which goes back to 2011.
The map, which is colour coded, includes filters by date range and severity classification. Details available include type of collision, how many vehicles were involved and the number of casualties.
Published on 28 Sept, the DfT statistics show there were 1,792 reported road deaths in 2016, a year-on-year rise of 4%. The figure is also the highest annual road deaths total since 2011.
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12 Oct: 10.15
Services will celebrate the lives of those killed on the road
A charity which supports those affected by road death in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire is holding two Services of Remembrance next month.
The services, organised by the Road Victims Trust (RVT), take place in Cambridge and Bedford on Sunday 19 November – marking the World Day of Remembrance for all persons killed on the roads.
The first service will be held at Great Saint Marys, Senate Hill, Cambridge, starting at 11.15am. The service will be led by the Bishop of Ely and will remember and celebrate the lives of all those lost on the county’s roads. It will be attended by families and friends of those bereaved by a road death, as well as local dignitaries and supporters.
The second service takes place at St Paul’s Church, Bedford (3pm).
Speaking at both services will be the RVT Ambassador, Kate Goldsmith whose 11-year-old daughter, Aimee was killed on the road in August 2016.
Mark Turner, chief executive at RVT said: “The effects of a road death are truly devastating and many more lives are changed forever in just one moment. I would like people to come along to one of these services to show their support and understanding for the plight of road victims.”
WEDNESDAY 11 OCTOBER
11 Oct: 09.15
GEM provides deer warning ahead of mating season
GEM Motoring Assist is warning drivers to remain observant, with this time of year seeing a ‘significant rise’ in the risk of having a collision with a deer.
Autumn is breeding season for deer, a process which makes them more mobile and brings many more of them onto the roads, says GEM.
Estimates indicate that up to 75,000 deer are killed in collisions each year on roads in the UK. The human death toll from deer collisions ranges between 10 and 20 annually, according to GEM, with more than 400 injuries. Industry estimates put the cost of damage to vehicles alone to be at least £17m.
Neil Worth, GEM road safety officer, said: “We urge drivers to be on the look-out at all times, but to be particularly observant in the early mornings and early evenings.
“It’s important to expect deer not just on rural lanes, but also on suburban roads, main roads and motorways.
“If you know your route takes you through areas where there are deer, then expect to see one – or more than one – on your journey. In that way, the presence of a deer on the road ahead will be less of a surprise and you will hopefully be able to avoid a collision.”
MONDAY 09 OCTOBER
09 Oct: 15.45
Free motorcycle taster initiative adds extra dates for October
An initiative which offers want-to-be-riders with the chance to take part in a free taster session – in a safe and structured environment – has announced a number of new dates for October.
Get On, the motorcycle industry’s free ‘try out’ programme, is offering taster lessons in both the North West (14-15 October) and London (28-29 October) over the coming weeks.
The initiative, backed by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), is designed to encourage more road users to take to two wheels.
The sessions are led by a professional instructor and provided an introduction to the gears, brakes and slow speed handling.
Riders will also be given advice about protective clothing and how to find an accredited local trainer, as well as learning what licences are needed for different sized motorcycles.
Karen Cole, director of safety and training for the MCIA, said: “If you’ve always wondered what it would be like to ride a motorcycle or scooter, this is your opportunity to do so.
“Whether you are looking for a way of saving time on your journey to work by avoiding traffic queues, or you long for a David Beckham style off-road adventure, Get On will provide a safe and structured environment to discover if motorcycling or scootering is for you.
“You can also get advice on where to go to find high quality training in your local area.”
The MCIA says Get On is suitable for anyone aged 14 years or over – from complete beginners to those returning to biking after a break. Motorcycles and protective clothing are provided.
Click here for more information.
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