You are in: Road Safety News: 30 April 2007
Young drivers to see crashed car
Teenagers are being targeted by Strathclyde firefighters in a bid to reduce the number of young people killed and injured on Scotland's roads.
30,000 fifth and sixth year students at every secondary school in Strathclyde will take part in the Cut It Out campaign, which is based on a successful pilot scheme run by Strathclyde Fire & Rescue. Firefighters will take a crashed car to the schools to highlight the harsh realities of road accidents.
Students will take part in a multi-media programme which focuses on interaction and discussion on the consequences of speeding, drink driving and the importance of wearing seat belts.
They will also be shown video clips, one of which features an interview with a teenage girl who suffered serious burns in a road traffic collision.
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland
Tripometer launched for business fleets
Recording essential information for business trips will be made easier with the launch of Tripometer – a new system using just a mobile phone. The company car or van driver makes a short recorded call which, via Interactive Voice Response, details distance, time and destination.
The new system also allows fleet managers to keep a track of vehicle, driving licence, insurance details and penalty points accumulated by drivers to ensure all fleets are legally compliant.
“Tripometer records the expiry date of an individual's drivers license and insurance policy. As an administrator, you can run daily or monthly reports highlighting anyone who may be running the risk of driving illegally on the company's behalf,” said Simon Harris, of FleetConsult UK. For more information call FleetConsult UK on (01952) 520102, or simon.harris@fleetconsultuk.com, or visit www.tripometer.co.uk.
New poster from CAPT
 CAPT (Child Accident Prevention Trust) has produced a new poster to accompany its picture-based booklet, It's fun to go out but...
The booklet is available free through the Department for Transport by emailing dft@twoten.press.net, quoting order reference: TINF 1107.
The new poster mirrors the style of the booklet to convey a key safety message for parents - that children must be secured in the right car seats for their age, height and weight.
For details of pricing or to order contact sales@capt.org.uk, quoting POS012, or click here to download a sample copy.
Kids get creative to promote road safety
Young artists, musicians and poets are being invited to produce their own creative piece to promote road safety in Lancashire.
The county’s road safety group has launched a competition inviting pupils of all ages to produce a piece of creative work based on the theme ‘road safety is no accident’. The piece of work can come in any form - from short story and poem, to poster or even a piece of music.
Entries will be spilt into four categories - key stages 1,2,3 and 4 - with a prize for each group. The winning entries will receive £150 for their schools.
The competition was launched on 23 April to coincide with Global Road Safety Week.
More information is available online at: www.lancashire.gov.uk/roadsafety.
New partnership launched in Cheshire
A new partnership has been set up in Cheshire to maximise resources and step up the fight to reduce crashes and casualties.
The new Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership (CSRP) will encompass all road safety activity and manage safety camera operation.
CSRP was launched at a conference which brought together road safety professionals and guests from Crime Disorder Reduction Partnerships and the private sector.
Lee Murphy, CRSP manager, said: “CSRP will seek to work closely with the public to address road death as without their support we are fighting a lost battle. Road death will not stop unless the public join the stand against it.”
VASs light up way
Around 40 vehicle activated signs (VAS) are being put up at 20 locations across Surrey as part of a campaign to cut speeds.
The Surrey Safety Camera Partnership (SSCP) is funding 26 of the VAS, which will light up to speeding drivers on the approach to safety camera sites. The VAS will remind drivers of the speed limit and warn them of the safety camera up ahead.
SSCP Project Manager Duncan Knox, says: “The use of vehicle activated signs positioned ahead of our safety cameras has proven very effective. The most successful camera site is one where people slow down, no tickets are issued and there is no more death or injury as a result.”
For more information contact Adrian Creek on 01483 466816, or adrian.creek@surreycc.gov.uk
Stats show shocking standards
Newly released statistics give grim reading on driver behaviour in Dumfries and Galloway.
Police have revealed that there has been a 26% increase in the number of drivers reported for dangerous and careless driving – and drink driving is up by 11%.
Sergeant Scott Mclachlan from the Road Policing Unit said: “These figures are not completely surprising when you consider the awful accidents we suffered last year.
“However during the first three months of 2007 we have seen a very slight drop in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads compared to the same period in 2006.”
For further information contact Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary on 01387 242 253 or media2@dg.pnn.police.uk.
Council spreads message
South Lanarkshire Council’s road safety team hosted a number of events to mark Global Road Safety Week.
Primary Schools supported the week by taking part in a ‘name the zebra’ competition - with newly titled ‘Zimbar the Zebra’ starting his ‘Fantabulous International Adventure’ travelling around the world learning about road safety (www.zebracrossinggame.org).
The team also encouraged prospective and young drivers to visit www.getinlane.com and www.crashmagnets.com to learn about safety as a driver or passenger.
The team also partnered PATVORA (Prompt Assistance to Victims of Road Accidents) in Nigeria and copies of its road safety game were distributed across Nigerian schools during Global Road Safety Week.
For further information contact David.Wynn@southlanarkshire.gsx.gov.uk
Andrew Grenter QPM - obituary
Andy Grenter, who recently joined the RoadSafe team, died suddenly at home on 15 April.
Andy, aged 45 years, joined the RoadSafe team as knowledge manager and editor of RoadSafe News - to take a lead in the dissemination of good practice.
Andy dedicated his life to service. Before joining the Metropolitan Police he was a military musician in a Welsh infantry regiment and was a member of a number of bands and musical societies.
In the police service he was a well-known figure in road safety – author of the Road Death Investigation Manual and team leader at CENTREX before moving to TRL.
Andy died as he was preparing to launch a new UK initiative to reduce accidents among those who drive for business.
Drink driver crashes into cop shop
A drunk driver, his car and his pet dog ended up in jail after crashing through the walls of a police station in Switzerland.
Police say Juergen Berger, 36, was three times over the drink-drive limit when he pulled off the motorway at Spiez-Gesigen.
He lost control on a tight corner and skidded off the road, up banking and into the side of the police station.
A police spokesman said: "He and the dog were unhurt, which was more than can be said for the car and the police station. He can say goodbye to his licence for a long time."
For the full story go to: http://www.ananova.com |
