The Think! Norfolk Partnership is launching its new road safety campaign today (24 October) which features a giant ‘Why Wouldn’t You?’ cube.
The campaign, which is being launched at the Forum in Norwich, is asking motorists to pause for thought, think about their driving habits and make changes to save their lives and the lives of others.
At the launch, people are being invited to walk inside a giant cube that invites them to identify the solution to making Norfolk’s roads safer. The cube will remain at the Forum for the rest of this week.
Drinking and driving, not wearing a seat belt, using a mobile phone and speeding have been identified as the four key behaviours that frequently cause casualties on Norfolk’s roads, and these are the focus of the campaign.
As well as the cube, the campaign will feature advertisements on buses, in the local media and shopping centres.
The main aims of the campaign are to: increase public awareness of the key behaviours that can lead to collisions on Norfolk’s roads; encourage people to take personal responsibility for their driving behaviour; and reduce the number of casualties on the county’s roads.
“Why Wouldn’t You?” is the latest campaign to be launched by a partnership comprising Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Fire & Rescue, Norfolk Constabulary, Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and the Highways Agency.
Councillor Alec Byrne, chairman of the Norfolk Casualty Reduction Partnership, said: “Every driver in Norfolk can keep our roads safer by asking themselves this simple question each and every time they make a journey.
“I appeal to every motorist to please, think about the way you drive and the decisions you make. These four key behaviours are completely unacceptable and utterly reckless but we continue to see them played out every day on Norfolk’s roads.
“By taking responsibility for our own driving and, if necessary, making very simple changes such as refusing to answer your phone when you’re driving or slowing down to a safer speed, we can all make a difference, an important difference and keep people safe.”
Chief Inspector Chris Spinks, head of the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit, said: “Whilst police can enforce the law, it’s too late when we and our emergency services’ colleagues attend the scene of a serious or fatal collision. We work closely with our partners in Think! Norfolk to educate drivers and young people who are soon to get behind the wheel, and that is what this campaign is all about. Throughout this campaign, we will be using #fatal4 on social media to reinforce this message.”
For more information contact Claire Milner-Smith, media officer Norfolk County Council, on 01603 228888.
Bob, bad driving causes almost all crashes, and many of the problems are connected with the limits of the way our vision functions and our psychology. We cannot do that much about those aspects, but we can easily make a conscious decision not to take a phone call or text, to not drink and drive, to wear a seat belt, and to moderate our speed. Then when someone else makes a mistake at a junction, we are paying sufficient attention and travelling slowly enough for it not to mature into a collision. In effect, these factors are the easily-picked, low-hanging fruit; why would we not choose to do something about them?
David, Suffolk
0
I cannot believe that the four reasons for the causation of collisions is as per paragraph 4. Yes they may be a small percentage but that’s all. I would like to se some statistical evidence of that statement before I am convinced by it. Unfortunately these four are extremely well known, widespread and therefore they are in the front of people’s minds if asked.
I think that this is a grave mistake as to my mind there are more severe and consequential causations than those. So I don’t believe that any benefit will be born out of reiterating that same over and over again.
bob craven Lancs
0
I would have thought that poor judgement at road junctions and other intersections would have come top of the list. Running amber lights and failing to observe carefully enough the vulnerable road users such as bicycles and scooters etc. Also tailgating, that is driving too close to the vehicle in front even in towns.
Bob Craven Lancs
0