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DIS says that the current test allows candidates to make up to 15 minor driving faults over a route often shorter than six miles, that takes 40 minutes or less. It adds that 'young, inexperienced drivers are disproportionately at risk of death and/or serious injury because the test concentrates on assessing their skills with their hands and feet, rather than their eyes and their brain'.

DIA general manager Eddie Barnaville said: "The DSA has got its priorities wrong when it comes to training drivers in this country.

"A modern approach to driving needs to be adopted. We need to look at lengthening the test and incorporating a compulsory log book system so that driving instructors can assess their candidate's competence in mechanical skills and manoeuvring - leaving more time for learners to demonstrate their eye and brain skills in their test."

For further information contact Vikki Carley on 020 8665 8024, or newsdesk@driving.org

Findings could influence Welsh camera policy
Money raised from speeding fines should be spent only on road safety improvements, a review by Flintshire County Council has concluded.

The review also recommends greater consideration of interactive signs, which warn drivers to slow down, to complement cameras. It also calls for a reduction in the deaths and injuries that have to occur on a given stretch of road before mobile or fixed cameras can be used.

The findings give an idea of how policy on speed cameras could change when responsibility for Welsh cameras is devolved from London to Cardiff Bay in April. The Welsh Assembly Government is canvassing the opinions of local authorities and other groups.

For the full story go to: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk

Partnership takes to the buses

The Tayside Safety Camera Partnership (TSCP) has launched a campaign explaining why speed limits exist - and the potentially fatal consequences of not abiding by them.

Louise Turner, TSCP communications officer said: "Our message - at 35mph you are twice as likely to kill someone as you are at 30mph - will be displayed on the back of a bus as it travels across Dundee. You can't miss a bus - they dominate the city and are a feature of daily life."

For the full story go to: http://www.safetayside.co.uk/news.htm

RSOs shown restraint

RSOs from Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton and St Helen's spent a day updating their restraint fitting skills in anticipation of the proposed change in regulations in September.  

The in-car safety training workshop on 27 July comprised a mix of theoretical and practical training presented by John Horsfall from the Sitsafe Consultancy, with particular emphasis on the implications of the new law.  

"All present experienced the delights of restraint fitting and those new to the dark arts of in-car safety had the opportunity to fit a wide range of restraints to a number of different types of vehicle," says Dave Watson, Wirrall's team leader road safety.   

"Despite grazed knuckles, bruised elbows and slipped discs everyone found the day enormously beneficial and we are all looking forward to educating parents and carers."

For further information contact Dave Watson, davewatson@wirral.gov.uk.

Top award for Hull street

A street refurbishment in Hull to improve road safety was awarded the 2006 Award for Excellence in Urban Transport Design at the recent national Transport Practitioners meeting in Manchester.

The Newland Avenue project was part of a national initiative to improve road safety on busy shopping streets. The scheme is one of 10 best practice demonstration projects in the country.

The initial performance of the scheme is very encouraging with road casualties dropping by 67% (within the four months for which data is available), and pedestrian crossing movements increasing by 18%.  

For further information contact Emma Shakeshaft on 01482 613150 or
emma.shakeshaft@hullcc.gov.uk

EU competition for road safety teams
The Italian Ministry for Transport is organizing a child road safety competition as part of the fourth ministerial Verona conference, which will be held on 3-4 November.

The competition is for pilot schemes to improve child road safety, and is open to road safety teams from 25 EU member countries.

For further information and an entry form, click here.

Migrant workers get safety advice
Herefordshire Council has launched a campaign to prevent accidents involving the area's army of migrant strawberry pickers.

The county's road safety unit is concerned about the safety of workers on rural lanes near to the fields where they pick strawberries, and is issuing high visibility waistcoats to migrant workers.

It is estimated that each year around 25,000 seasonal workers come to Herefordshire - the vast majority of whom are students from Poland, the Ukraine and Portugal.

For the full story go to:- http://www.shropshirestar.com

SPECS savers in Medway

Kent & Medway's first SPECS safety camera system is to be installed on the A228 in Medway.

Five pairs of SPECS average speed safety cameras will be permanently installed on a 7.5km route by March 2007.

SPECS cameras have only previously been used in Kent & Medway to enforce temporary speed limits during roadworks.

For the full story go to: www.kmscp.org

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