Dorset Road Safe’s ‘no excuse’ project has won a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in recognition of the role it has played in achieving impressive casualty reduction figures across Dorset.
Launched in January 2010, ‘no excuse’ is a carefully researched project that comprises a combination of additional traffic enforcement, publicity and education programmes. The campaign targets speeding motorists, drivers using mobile phones, bad and careless drivers, people not wearing seatbelts and drink and drug drivers.
Casualty figures across Dorset reveal there has been an 18% reduction in the number of KSI casualties on Dorset’s roads in the 18-month period since the launch of ‘no excuse’, compared with the 18 months prior to launch.
At 25%, the reduction in casualties across the more rural areas of the county during the same period is even more encouraging.
Brian Austin, ‘no excuse’ project manager, said: “The reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Dorset’s roads is very encouraging and all of the Dorset Road Safe partners have played an important role in trying to make our roads safer.
“Even accepting that there are many factors that can affect road crash figures, such as the downturn in the economy and periods of severe winter weather, I believe the ‘no excuse’ project has played a significant contribution towards the very encouraging fall in road casualties across Dorset.
“The ‘no excuse’ project will continue to make use of evidence-led covert and overt enforcement operations, innovative publicity, well researched and properly evaluated education courses and community engagement operations such as ‘Surround a Town’.”
In recognising the campaign, the award committee said: “The judges were extremely impressed by your comprehensive data-led approach for this excellent example of what can be achieved with support from all stakeholder partners.”
For more information contact Robert Smith on 01305 224680.
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