You are in: Road Safety News: 7 May 2007
3,000 speed cases to be quashed
 Up to 3,000 motorists are to get their speeding convictions on the A5 in Bangor quashed after a council failed to follow proper procedures.
The drivers were caught when a speed limit was dropped from 40mph to 30 mph near the Maes Geirchen estate on the outskirts of Bangor in July 2006.
A review of the cases found the speed limit had not been properly put in place by Gwynedd County Council. The decision to drop the cases came after a review of the cases against 38 motorists, who challenged their speeding tickets.
The CPS discovered that Gwynedd Council ‘had not followed the proper procedures’ for changing the speed limit - even though the 30mph signs had been put up.
To read the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Awards seek nominations
 Nominations are invited for the 2007 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards, which are presented to individuals, companies or organisations in recognition of their outstanding contribution to improving road safety.
Entries should comprise no more than 1500 words containing a full description of the project or programme, and should be emailed to jwalsh@roadsafe. The deadline for entries is 1 August.
For full details about how to enter and criteria go to: http://www.roadsafetyawards.com
Alternatively, for further information contact Adrian Walsh on 020 7344 1605, or roadsafe@smmt.co.uk.
Pedalling safely and securely
Leicestershire police are bringing the latest technology to a Leicestershire school by microchipping children’s bikes.
54 Badgerbrook Primary School children are all finishing their Bike4Life course and as a reward police will present each child with a microchip.
If the bike is found the chip can be scanned by Leicestershire Constabulary and the owner traced and reunited with their bike.
Bike4Life is cyclist training aimed at year six pupils. Its purpose is to develop pupils’ skills and confidence in cycling on the road and to encourage safer, more responsible cycling for life.
For further information contact Liz Goodman on 0116 265 8341, or
lgoodman@leics.gov.uk.
Hi vis bag ‘special offer’
 Xinteractive Clothing is offering a ‘special low price’ to local authorities for its ‘hi vis’ shopping bags.
The bag is designed to help protect elderly people on shopping visits and when walking around town in the autumn and winter. “Due to the autumn rush we have decided to make this offer now to offset the high demand later in the year, which has sometimes caused a backlog of rushed orders,” explains Xinteractive’s Ted Johnson.
The discounted unit price of £1.20 applies to a minimum order qty of 500 bags. The price includes overprinting a supermarket name and logo if required, and local authority name or message on both sides of the bag.
For further information visit http://xinteractiveclothing.com or ring 01963 34327.
European Road Safety Awards launched
The Norauto Foundation has launched the 2007 European Road Safety Awards (RoadSafe News).
The Awards recognise national and local initiatives to promote road safety and responsible driving, and provides a grant of 47,000 Euros to help develop these initiatives.
For further information go to: www.norauto.fr/fondation or www.norauto.fr/fondation/gb/Rules-european-road-safety-prize.pdf
TMS announces Phase 2 course
TMS Consultancy has announced details of its next Phase 2 Road Safety Officers’ National Staff Training Group course.
The five day course will be held at Swan’s Nest Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, 10-14 September.
The Phase 2 course is part of the continual professional development for road safety professionals.
Phase 1 comprises in-house training conducted over the first six to nine months of on-job experience; Phase 2 is a five-day intensive residential course; and Phase 3 is a series of one to two day modules for more experienced staff.
Phase 2 is designed for RSOs who have completed Phase 1 training, or with a comparable level of knowledge and experience. A small number of places are available to police officers, military personnel, engineers, and delegates from overseas.
For further information contact Gill Brooks on 02476 690900, or gbrooks@tmsconsultancy.co.uk, or go to: www.tmsconsultancy.co.uk.
Alternatively, click here to download an application form.
Volunteer delivers young driver presentation
 Young people aged 16-18 at Derby College attended a hard-hitting educational presentation last week, delivered by David Heslop, a volunteer trained by the FedEx & Brake Road Safety Academy.
The presentation covered the dangers of speeding, drink and drugged driving and not belting up.
The FedEx & Brake Road Safety Academy is a community education project that trains volunteers to spread road safety education in their local community. The Academy is co-ordinated by Brake, the national road safety charity, and funded by express delivery company FedEx.
After 20 years as a paramedic, David has first hand experience of the devastation caused by road crashes. He talked to the students about the risks faced by young drivers and the impact of road deaths and injuries on young people and their families.
For further information contact Brake on 01484 559909, or academy@brake.org.uk
New guide for parents
The IAM Motoring Trust has produced Children and road safety: a guide for parents (RoadSafe News).
The report identifies where and when children in five age groups are at most risk on the road, and offers advice on what parents can do to minimise the risk.
The report can be read at: http://www.iamtrustchildsafety.org.uk/
Naked woman drink driver
A German petrol station manager called police after a naked woman pulled up and asked him to fill up her tank.
Jan Matthausen, 56, from Chemnitz, said: "I was surprised when I saw a car drive onto the forecourt beeping its horn and flashing its lights to get my attention.
"I went out and saw this woman, completely naked, sitting behind the wheel.
"She wound down the window, leaned out and asked me to fill up her tank. I called the police straight away."
Police who did a breath-test on the 38-year-old driver found she was seven times over the drink-drive limit.
For the full story go to: http://www.ananova.com |
