Just a week on from its launch, the line-up for the 2021 Festival of Road Safety is already starting to take shape – with the first 10 speakers and presentations already confirmed.
The 2021 Festival follows the cancellation earlier this year of the 2021 National Road Safety Conference due to the ongoing uncertainty with regard to COVID-19. The Festival, organised by Road Safety GB and sponsored by Jenoptik, will run from 1-26 November.
As was the case last year, all the content will be aired free to view by all – and will comprise a mix of around 40 pre-recorded and live presentations, workshops, podcasts and live discussion sessions.
The first 10 speakers have been added to the programme page on the Festival website – three of which will focus on road safety in Scotland.
A presentation by George Henry from Transport Scotland will cover the new Scottish Road Safety Framework to 2030 and how it sits within the country’s transport aspirations.
Meanwhile, Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, will look at how Scotland is ‘developing safe road users through lifelong learning’. Safer road users, one of the five pillars of the Safe System approach, is fundamental to the Scottish philosophy that road safety skills have to be nurtured from the very beginning.
The third presentation, by Dr Jonathan James from the University of Bath, will suggest there has been ‘no change across all types of accidents involving alcohol’ as a result of the stricter drink drive limit introduced in Scotland in 2014.
Other organisations that have confirmed their intention to put up speakers for the Festival include PACTS, TRL, IAM RoadSmart, Road Safety Support, RAC Foundation, ETSC, MCIA, NFCC, MAG, LRSC, Agilysis and BHS.
Call for papers continues
Road Safety GB continues to invite expressions of interest from road safety practitioners, academics and others who would like to participate.
Anyone interested should contact Edward Seaman by email in the first instance, with a brief outline of their proposed presentation (pre-recorded or live), workshop (live) or subject for a podcast (pre-recorded).
There are also opportunities for organisations to support the Festival in the form of sponsorship and an online showcase. For more details contact Nick Rawlings by email or on 01379 650112.
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