You are in: Road Safety News: 28 May 2007
‘Loophole lawyers’ face police challenge
Drivers who challenge safety camera fines will face a new team of 'expert witnesses' dedicated to rebutting spurious arguments put forward by 'loophole lawyers', according to a report in The Times last week.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has created the team, Road Safety Support, to help forces cope with the rising number of drivers contesting tickets by citing legal technicalities.
Many have claimed that cameras have not been properly calibrated to record speed accurately. Others have argued that speed limit signs have been obscured or that mobile cameras have given false readings.
Meredydd Hughes, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and Acpo’s head of roads policing, said: “We are saying to drivers who think they can try it on, ‘Come and get us if you think you are hard enough’. We have won every case we have supported.”
To read the full story, go to: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
Cyclists 'face prosecution' for not using lanes
Cyclists who fail to use lanes provided for them could face prosecution as a result of changes to the Highway Code, the Telegraph reported last week.
The report said the new code ‘radically tilts the balance against cyclists’, and that a number of politicians in both houses are ready to object after being lobbied by cycling groups.
The wording of the relevant passage has been the subject of intense debate over the past few months.
According to the present version of the Highway Code, cycle routes should be used ‘when practicable’. A revised version said they should be used ‘where they are provided’. Then, in a concession to cyclists, the latest version was changed to instruct them to use lanes ‘wherever possible’.
Although the changes in wording appear subtle, their legal impact could be considerable, according to CTC.
To read the full article go to: /www.telegraph.co.uk
Hunt on for road safety champion
The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) has launched its annual bid to find the individual whose contribution to road safety is most worthy of national recognition.
The IAM Dominic Fox Award recognises and celebrates outstanding road safety work – and in particular activity that has directly or indirectly contributed to saving lives of young drivers and riders.
“It is vital that we recognise and learn from those who have found ways to nurture young drivers through the novice stage to become mature and responsible road users,” said Christopher Bullock, IAM chief executive. “The Dominic Fox Award is one of a range of initiatives acknowledging the importance of additional education for young drivers.”
Previous winners of the award are: Sue Wright, who ran a pre-learner driving course for youth clubs in Hampshire; PC Nobby Clark from Cheshire; Sam Geddis of Adelaide Insurance in Belfast; and Simon Ettinghausen of Bexley Borough Council. The first winner of the award in 2002 was PC John Spencer of Northamptonshire Police.
The deadline for nominations is 31 August 2007.
For further information go to: http://www.iam.org.uk
Financial incentive for younger driversCumbria’s young drivers are being given a financial incentive to become better drivers through a subsidised Pass Plus scheme.
Vouchers worth £60 are being given to drivers aged 17-20 years to undertake Pass Plus with qualified local instructors. Participants will also have to undertake a road awareness training session by the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.
And the first 100 applicants will receive the course free of charge.
The scheme was created by Safer Roads for Cumbria, which approached local companies and bodies for financial support.
For further information contact Kevin Tea on 01768 217791 or go to: www.saferroads4cumbria.org.uk
Mature student takes top safety award
Mature student Colin Jones, an expert on delivering safe routes to school, has won the GEM Road Safety Student of the Year Award for his work researching young people on roads.
The award is made by GEM Motoring Assist to recognise those that follow its philosophy of working for the safety of all road users.
Colin took up studying at Manchester College of Arts and Technology after a 30-year police career with the North Wales force. He then served Gwynedd Council, where he is now parking manager, as a safe route to schools officer.
He said: “After joining the council in 2004 I was offered the chance of taking a recognised qualification in road safety at MANCAT. I chose for my dissertation the subject of young people on our roads today.”
He has suggested a raft of measures to improve delivery and develop future management in order to encourage children to walk and cycle to school, and reduce motorised transport outside the school gate.
For the full story go to: http://www.roadsafety.org.uk/
HGV crashes soar in Suffolk
The number of accidents involving HGVs on Suffolk's roads reached a 16-year high last year.
A total of 156 crashes in the county involved an HGV during 2006 - 15% higher than the previous year and the highest figure since 1990.
The figure emerged during the first meeting of the Suffolk Road Safety Board, a multi-agency organisation set up to reduce road casualties in Suffolk and to promote safer driving habits. The county council is investigating the cause of the rise.
To read the full story go to: http://www.eadt.co.uk
Roadshow success 
A 14-month nationwide transport roadshow aimed at educating professional drivers about drink and drug driving has been hailed ‘a runaway success’ by the TTC Group.
TTC road safety manager Colin Pettener MBE said that national operators had welcomed the training sessions. “There was a lot of interest about our message on drink and drug driving. We also discovered that many firms did not have an alcohol or drugs policy for the workplace,” he said.
“It has been a major event to stage and it was well received wherever we were with good turnouts and an audience which benefited from the information.”
For more information contact the TTC Group on 0845 270 4380 or visit: www.ttc-uk.com.
Cycling scouts back lottery bid
80 cycling scouts are backing a Leicestershire country park's bid for new bike routes.
Watermead Country Park will play host to a series of activities including orienteering, sailing, raft building and cycling – on stolen bikes!
The 20 bikes have been recovered by Leicestershire Police, and have never been claimed by the owner - so scouts are making use of them for the day.
Watermead Country Park is home to the Connect2 project, which aims to create pedestrian and cycle links between the park and surrounding villages, and is hoping for a share of £50 million lottery funding.
For further information visit www.sustransconnect2.org.uk, or call 0845 058 13 73.
Wheelchair man 10 times over drink-drive limit
A wheelchair-bound German man spotted careering down the middle of a road was found to be 10 times over the legal drink-drive limit.
Kai Werner, 31, told police he had been to a party in a nearby town. Rather than get a taxi home, he had decided to drive the two miles home himself. He was found to have 508 miligrams of alcohol in 100 mililitres of blood. The legal limit is 50.
Mr Werner faces charges of endangering road safety.
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