The Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) is preparing to kick off conversations about road safety by pledging to ‘Share the Road to Zero’.
NIFL is a ‘high profile signing’ for the initiative, which aims to reduce road deaths by encouraging everyone to think about shared responsibilities, to be aware of surroundings, and take more care when out and about.
Those who make the campaign pledge will receive weekly road safety tips and reminders, starting with five ways to reduce road death.
Data shows that 46 people have lost their lives on Northern Ireland’s roads so far this year, compared to 32 this time last year.
Lynda Hurley, head of road safety promotion at the Department for Infrastructure, said: “The Northern Ireland Football League’s backing for the ‘Share the Road to Zero’ pledge is a significant step in raising awareness of what we can all do to change our behaviours when we use our roads.
“Sadly, careless or inattentive driving, inappropriate speed for the road or the conditions, as well as drink and drug driving account for the majority of deaths and serious injuries on our roads so as a society, we need to have more conversations about what we can all do on a personal level to be the best road users that we can be, whether we are travelling on foot or on wheels.
“By being more aware of our responsibilities and being respectful of other road users, we can all help ensure everyone gets to their destination safely.”
Gerard Lawlor, NI Football League chief executive, said: “The need to think about how we travel and how we can be safer on our roads is something that unites all of us because road deaths and serious injuries touch every part of society.
“Behind the statistics there are grieving loved ones and lives torn apart. While every road user and every age group is affected, the statistics show that the majority of people killed so far this year are men and almost half of those were aged 35 and under.
“By signing the pledge on behalf of the Northern Ireland Football League, I am pledging to Share the Road to Zero by acting in the safest possible way on the roads and am encouraging everyone in the football family to do the same.”
Its the Department for Infrastructure that needs to think about its responsibilities. Northern Ireland lags behind the rest of the UK in implementing 20mph limits in cities, towns and villages. Setting 20mph for a couple of hundred yards outside a school is not a foundation for Vision Zero and certainly won’t protect children on their whole route to school.
Policy makers have to realise that you can’t increase active travel without either a rise in active traveller casualties or a significant change to the risk to vulnerable road users. A general 20mph limit does provide both a significant change in risk and a symbolic change in attitudes towards vulnerable road users.
Rod King, Lymm
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