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The new highway superhero
Author Phillip Sheppard has created a new 'road safety superhero' character Lollipopman , whose mission is to save the world from the accident-causing villains of the road.
The first Lollipopman book is now on sale for £4.99 - with £4 going to the road safety charity Brake. A new Lollipopman song is also available on CD priced at £2.50. Free Lollipopman road safety images are available for websites, printed promotions and presentations.
Visit www.lollipopman.co.uk to find out more.
Police to target speeding bikers
Speeding motorcyclists in Dumfries and Galloway are to be targeted by a specialist safety camera.
The 'commander system' has 360 degree vision to track bikers breaking the legal limit. It will be used as part of a campaign to cut the number of road deaths and casualties by targeting known accident blackspots in the region.
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk.
Mature drivers get safety checks
A pilot road safety initiative targeting older drivers in Dumfries and Galloway is to be launched.
The scheme provides elderly motorists with an opportunity to have a road check to examine their skills behind the wheel.
The Safer Wheels Plus initiative is being run by police in the Stewartry and Mid Galloway areas.
A spokesman said given the rural nature of the area, they wanted to help mature drivers hold onto their licences.
http://news.bbc.co.uk.
Drivers not told of speed checks
Drivers will no longer be able to find out where speed checks by the West Mercia Safety Camera Partnership are going to be taking place across Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire.
The partnership has previously published where it planned to carry out spot checks, but now believes some drivers are using the information to speed at sites not being targeted.
A spokeswoman for the partnership said: "The general principle we have to promote is that drivers should observe speeds limits at all times and places, irrespective of the likelihood of enforcement and detection.
"We feel that continued release of the site lists undermines this principle and have therefore decided to stop issuing these."
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk.
100% STP success in Thurrock
All 58 schools in Thurrock have developed and submitted a School Travel Plan - four years ahead of Government deadlines.
The council's road safety team has worked with local schools to help produce the plans, which tackle all the issues relevant to journeys to and from the school and include concerns about safety and health and proposals for ways to make improvements.
Denise Langan, Thurrock's road safety manager, said: "This is a real achievement. The plans set out a package of measures and realistic targets for every school, and we will work with them to help realise these.
"Developing these plans is not just about travel, but about improving our children's health and reducing traffic congestion which is better for the environment."
For further information contact Fiona Stones on 01375 652017, or fstones@thurrock.gov.uk.
Insurers 'ignoring speed penalties'
Last year safety cameras caught 2.2 million drivers, landing each of them with a fixed £60 penalty and three points on their licence. But research by Guardian Money has found that while some insurers double premiums, others - including Britain's biggest insurer, Norwich Union - barely seem to care (The Guardian, 6 May).
The report says that 'road safety campaigners will be dismayed by our findings, which suggest that some prominent insurance companies largely ignore irresponsible or reckless driving, even if it results in six points on a driver's licence'.
Norwich Union, Swiftcover and several other firms selling car insurance through the AA ignore the first speeding fine when they calculate a quote.
Even a second speeding fine and a further three points results in only a small increase in premiums at Norwich Union. Only on the third penalty level, nine points, does the insurer start to worry.
For the full story go to: http://money.guardian.co.uk.
Mature drivers helped to 'Arrive Alive'
North Yorkshire's road safety team and the Driving Standards Agency will hold three Arrive Alive Classic presentations for older drivers this month.
Arrive Alive Classic provides friendly, constructive advice for drivers aged 50 and over, with a particular focus on retired people. There is no question of a test or assessment - it's more about sharing experiences with fellow mature drivers and acknowledging how the aging process can affect driving.
A local doctor will also attend to deal with questions relating to medication and the effect it can have on driving.
North Yorkshire's road safety team aims to keep older drivers on the road - safely - for as long as possible.
For further information contact John Everson on 01609 533086 or john.everson@northyorks.gov.uk.
CAPT hosts accident conference
Child Accident Prevention Trust and the Public Health Group in the Government Office for the West Midlands are running a conference entitled Strategic Opportunities for Child Accident Prevention on 3 July.
The aim of the conference is to allow senior managers in local authorities, primary care trusts and the voluntary sector, to consider how the latest policy opportunities for supporting partnership working and improving children's health can be used to reduce the number of unintentional injuries and narrow injury-related inequalities.
Click here for further information and a booking form.
Child safety manual available for RSOs
A comprehensive safety manual, Children in cars, is now available for RSOs to use in publicity campaigns.
Children in cars has been produced by Volvo Car Corporation to help all those who carry child passengers - parents, taxi drivers, or anyone else - reach a better understanding of child safety matters.
Click here to download a copy. Anyone requiring a significant quantity should contact Roadsafe director Adrian Walsh on 020 7344 9236, or awalsh@roadsafe.com.
Wedding guests ignoring drink-drive laws
Thousands of wedding guests are ignoring drink-drive laws, according to new research.
The survey found that 32% of drivers at weddings admitted to drinking over the legal limit.
In the most serious cases, 16% of drivers consumed more than 10 units of alcohol - of which 9% then got behind the wheel of their car. Of those drivers who have driven after drinking at a wedding, 18% drove over 50 miles.
For the full story go to: http://www.channel4.com
Hull RSO short-listed for national award
A Hull City Council RSO has been short listed for the prestigious National Transport Awards, Frontline Employee of the Year category.
In the last three years, Sue Boyeson has more than doubled the number of pupils taking pedestrian training across the city (from 1600 to 3500) and has been particularly successful in engaging previously difficult to reach communities.
Her work led her to identify a problem with in-car safety with the most vulnerable children. She found that around 45% regularly travelled unrestrained in the car and that their knowledge of restraint use was extremely limited.
In addition to her principal duties Sue set about creating a practical training activity for in-car safety using a specially prepared vehicle donated by the local Honda dealer. Over 3000 children have now taken part in the training.
The presentation of the National Transport Awards takes place at The Hilton Hotel on Park Lane in London on 18 July.
Apathy stalls road safety drive
A course aimed at improving driving among young people in an Aberdeenshire town in a bid to cut deaths has been cancelled - due to a lack of interest.
The event, due to take place in Turriff, was organised by Grampian Police.
It was arranged in an effort to reduce accidents in what is considered to be one of the country's worst accident black spot areas - but despite free entry, the course failed to attract sufficient entrants.
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk
TV ads required
The Observatory on Road Knowledge and Safety, an Italian non-profit organisation, is collecting video and advertising material on road safety themes that has been developed around the world.
It intends to combine all the material it receives into one video that will be distributed to Italian schools.
The Observatory is currently seeking 30-second commercials that were used in television campaigns between 2001 and 2006.
Email j.bruschi@unica.sm or call 00378.0549.90.90.33 if you can help.
Regional conference planned for Colchester
A regional pre-hospital care conference focusing on road traffic accidents, At The Road Side, will be held on 6 September at Colchester Post Graduate Centre.
Admission and refreshments are free, but spaces are limited. All proceeds from the event will go to support hospitals in Tanzania.
Click here for further information or contact Dr Nicholas Sparrow on 01206 756202, or nicholassparrow@hotmail.com.
York announces National Standard courses
York City Council has announced dates for its latest National Standard cycle training courses.
The two courses will run over four days, 9.30am - 4.30pm, starting on Monday 19 June and 24 July.
For further information or to register for the course contact Rosemary Bentley, " rosemary.bentley@york.gov.uk
Toilet excuse fails
A motorist who claimed she was speeding in a rush for the toilet has failed to avoid three penalty points on her driving licence.
Diana Stevens, 67, from Seaford, East Sussex, was flashed by a camera doing 49 mph on a 40 mph stretch of the A27.
Appearing at Lewes Magistrates' Court, she admitted speeding but said there had been 'special reasons'. She was fined £60 plus £100 costs, and given three penalty points.
The court heard the grandmother of four had been driving home after having dinner with friends in Petworth, West Sussex. But while travelling along a dimly lit rural road, she said she felt a desperate need to go to the toilet.
Mrs Stevens said: "I realised that I needed to use the loo and when you get to my age you think about it a bit more. I thought to myself that I really needed to go. I wouldn't get out of the car because it was pitch dark and I was frightened."
Under cross-examination, she explained: "I might not have slowed down even if I had seen the speed sign because I was desperately in a hurry and there was no traffic around."
Prosecutor Sharon Howard told her that she could have stuck to the speed limit.
But Mrs Stevens replied: "Yes, but there would have been a consequence and I didn't want to find that out."
The pensioner, who has been driving for more than 40 years and had previously had an unblemished licence, added that she managed to get home in time to use the toilet.
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk
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