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Road
safety news - Week commencing 26 May
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Rural 30mph
limits cut accidents in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire County Council has decided to support 30mph limits
on country roads after finding that halving 60mph limits reduced
accident numbers by 40 per cent (Surveyor, 22 May).
The council’s monitoring has revealed higher than expected
road safety benefits as a result of 30mph limits being introduced
well beyond the built up area of villages, at the request of parishes.
In 1999 the authority gave parishes a larger input into the extent
of 30mph limits, leading to nearly 20 of the new limits in south
Oxfordshire being brought in on country roads.
The latest figures reveal an average 40 per cent reduction in
accidents per year over the last three years on each country road
site with a new limit, compared to the five years up to 1999.
This represented an annual reduction of 30 accidents on rural
roads where there were 540 accidents yearly overall.
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RoSPA
seeks Britain’s best young drivers
The hunt is on to find the best young drivers in Britain. The competition,
organised by the RoSPA’s Advanced Drivers Association, is aimed
at drivers up to 24 years – the group most at risk on our roads.
Prizes will include tickets to the British Grand Prix, CIS insurance
vouchers to the value of £1,000 and entry and training to
race in the Uniroyal Team Challenge at a major UK circuit.
"Young drivers are most at risk of death and serious injury,"
said Bob Smalley, RoSPA’s chief driving examiner.
"This competition allows them to have their driving assessed
by an expert and learn how they can improve so that they are less
likely to have accidents.
"40 regional winners and runners-up will go through to the
final at the Silverstone Circuit in the autumn where, as well as
a road test, they will undergo skid training, a manoeuvrability
exercise and a Highway Code test. There will be a special section
for teenage drivers."
It is the 12th year of the competition, which was founded through
the Catherine Kenyon Trust Young Driver of the Year. RoSPA’s
growing involvement means that this is the first time regional events
have been arranged.
All that drivers need to do is to turn up in a roadworthy car with
the relevant documents, but it is best to book a slot in advance
through a regional contact - see www.rospa.com/youngdriver.
Entrants will be assessed by a half-hour drive on public roads.
More @ www.rospa.co.uk |
DfT
unveils summer drink drive plans
The DfT has announced outline details for this year’s summer
drink drive campaign.
The ‘Bad Jobs’ radio commercial will run 16-29 June and
a TV campaign will run 7-27 July. In addition, new drink drive posters
are now available and an order form is available on the THINK! website
at www.think.dft.gov.uk.
More details about the campaign will be available shortly, but in
the meantime further information can be obtained from Glyn
Robinson on 020 7944 4341 or Helen Clark on
020 7944 4640. |
DfT
reviews traffic light sequence
The starting red/amber of traffic lights could be shortened or abolished
altogether depending on the outcome of research commissioned by
the DfT (Local Transport Today, 15 May).
The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has been awarded a contract
to review the starting amber timings at UK traffic lights.
Commenting on the review, a TRL spokeswoman said: "The current
setting of two seconds of starting red/amber was last confirmed
in the 1960s and was based on research performed at that time. Since
then a number of changes have occurred within signal technology,
vehicle performance and driver behaviour. Furthermore, drivers have
become familiar with systems used in other countries, some of which
omit a starting amber altogether.
"Given all these factors the DfT has decided to commission
research to update the previous work and confirm whether the current
settings are still optimal," she said.
TRL’s simulator is being used to test the changes to signal
timing including the effect of omitting the red/amber. |
DfT
publicity team on the move
The transport publicity team at the DfT is moving offices next week.
As of Monday 2 June the team’s new address will be:- Transport
Publicity Desk, Department for Transport, Zone 5/02, Great Minster
House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR. All telephone numbers
and e-mail addresses will remain the same. |
Loved
companion can become car killer
The Guild of Experienced Motorists (GEM) says people are in danger
of being seriously injured or even killed by their ‘best friend’
- and the only real solution is to keep it in a cage.
GEM is urging its 60,000 members to take special precautions when
transporting pets. It is co-operating with RoSPA to distribute an
information leaflet to help protect cats and dogs and their owners
when they are in the hostile environment of a vehicle.
"The excellent new leaflet produced by RoSPA with the support
of the PDSA, reveals that in the event of an accident at 30mph a
medium-sized dog such as a border collie would be thrown forward
with a force equivalent to nine grown men," says David
Williams, chief executive of GEM.
"We join RoSPA in urging people to restrain pets in cars with
a proper harness or travel cage. While a dog guard will stop the
animal hitting the driver or passengers it will not protect a much
loved pet."
David Williams also says that an unrestrained pet can also distract
the driver, could escape after an accident, and that a frightened
dog may even attack those trying to help injured people trapped
in the vehicle.
The leaflet, Carrying Pets Safely, can be obtained free of charge
by sending a 9" x 6" SAE to GEM at Station Road, Forest
Row, East Sussex. RH18 5EN. |
DfT
publishes guide to car safety
The DfT has published ‘Cars: Make and Model: The Risk of Driver
Injury in Great Britain: 1996 – 2000’. The publication
presents estimates of the risk of driver injury in popular models
of car, if they are involved in a two car injury accident.
It does not address issues of primary safety and gives no information
on whether or not specific makes of car have different risks of
being involved in an accident. The statistics are based on personal
injury road accident data reported to the DfT by police forces from
across Great Britain.
The guide can be read online at: http://www.transtat.dft.gov.uk |
Bristol
wins safe route battle
The High Court last week threw out a challenge to Bristol City Council’s
decision to introduce a new safe route to school (Surveyor, 22 May).
Two local residents were seeking to block the Victoria Square safe
route, claiming it would make residential roads more dangerous.
They claimed the support of 150 locals in their opposition to the
scheme that involves a zebra crossing and removal of street parking.
But
after the judge heard that building work got underway last month
he refused the application for judicial review.
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THINK!
conference – deadline looms
The deadline for delegates to register for the 2003 THINK! Road
Safety Conference, to be held Friday 27 June at the Millennium Conference
Centre in London, is this coming Friday 30 May.
The half-day programme, followed by lunch, will be an opportunity
to share information and get up to date on both the publicity and
policy rationale surrounding the THINK! campaign.
Further information about the conference, or a registration form,
can be obtained from Glyn Robinson on 020 7944 4341,
Email: Glyn.Robinson@odpm-dft.gsi.gov.uk. |
156mph
driver jailed for five months
A man has been jailed for five months after being caught driving
at more than twice the speed limit.
Aberdeen car dealer Jason McAllister was recorded
driving his BMW M3 at 156mph on the A90 dual carriageway, between
Aberdeen and Dundee. McAllister was also banned from driving for
four years.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Sheriff Kevin Veal told the
27-year-old that his actions were ‘absolutely outrageous’. |
Conference
to look at reducing road risks for children
Neil Stewart Associates are presenting a conference
to explore how child road safety can best be supported through the
statutory duty placed on local authorities to reduce the number
and severity of road accidents, and through education, training
and publicity programmes.
The conference, Reducing Road Risks for Children; Partnership Approaches
for Improving Road Safety will take place in central London on 10
July.
The keynote speaker is Professor David Begg, chair,
Commission for Integrated Transport, and other speakers will include
Christian Wolmar, writer and broadcaster, Dr
Elizabeth Towner, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA.
For further information or to register online go to: www.neilstewartssociates.com |
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IRSO
conference – places still available
The Institute of Road Safety Officers’
(IRSO) annual conference will take place at the University of Lincoln,
2-5 July – and there are still a few places available.
Entitled ‘Small Investments, Huge Returns - Nurturing the Road
Safety Culture’, the conference will be of interest to those
involved in developing and sustaining safety policies within their
organisations - especially policies with regard to work related
road safety.
Further details about the conference can be obtained from Kevin
Senior, East Midlands Group 01629 580000 ext. 7060/7075,
email: kevin.senior@derbyshire.gov.uk
or visit www.irso.org. |
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