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DfT seeks brand ties
The DfT is to establish a range of brand partnerships to help get road-safety messages across to young children.
The DfT has appointed specialist brand agency Iris to identify potential partners for the activity, which will launch in the autumn.
The brand partners will flag up safety messages through channels such as point-of-sale, customer communications and one-off events.
The work will target children between the ages of seven and 10 years and their parents. The DfT is looking to recruit brands that have a link to both, such as retailers and leisure brands.
The activity will also run alongside the Be safe be seen message.
For the full story go to: http://www.brandrepublic.com
Brake to present speed conference
The road safety charity Brake will present Speed 2006, a comprehensive one-day conference in central London for road safety professionals, on 4 May.
Topics covered on the day will include: a government update on speed policy; statistical analysis of speed interventions; international best practice; 20mph zones; speed cameras; in-vehicle technology; Safe Routes to School and Child Safety Audits; Home Zones and Quiet Lanes; effective education campaigns; and best practice enforcement.
The conference fee is £125 per delegate. To register, call Brake on 01484 559909, or admin@brake.org.uk or go to www.brake.org.uk/index.php?p=17.
Salesman clocks up 31 points - but still no ban
A salesman has escaped a driving ban despite clocking up 31 points on his licence.
Magistrates decided against a ban after Jeffrey Englander said it would cause him financial hardship.
The 60-year-old had a string of penalty points for offences including speeding and failing to produce his insurance documents and licence.
"I pleaded hardship and had a fantastic magistrate who let me off. I couldn't believe it," he said. "I was very apologetic. You have to be humble and the more humble you are, the more they can see you are sorry, the more chance you have of getting off."
The case at Salford magistrates outraged the road safety charity Brake. "The justification of the 'exceptional hardship' would be incomparable to a family's loss if his continued dangerous driving caused a fatality," a spokesperson said.
To read the full story go to: http://www.mirror.co.uk
Newport test centre 'first' for Wales
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is to create a new style driving test centre at Newport as part of a plan to review driving test centres across Britain.
The Newport centre is one of 53 'multi-purpose' test centres planned to cater for the new motorcycle test, which is scheduled to be introduced in 2008. It will open later this year for would-be motorcyclists, car and lorry drivers.
There are also another 15 part- time motorcycle test centres planned nationally.
The new motorcycle test has been developed to reduce the number of accidents involving bikers. It introduces challenging manoeuvres to test the rider's control over the machine. Two of these manoeuvres will be carried out at over 30 mph, and this part of the test will take place off-road.
The new test centres will have additional space for this part of the test. Riders who show a dangerous lack of skill during the off-road part of the test will not be allowed to continue to the on-road part.
In order to make full use of the investment, where possible the new centres will also be used for car practical driving tests and, in a few cases, LGV manoeuvres.
For more information contact the DSA on 0115 901 5874/5.
Landmark referral for TTC
A drink drive education course run by the TTC Group has received its 100,000th referral.
People referred onto the TTC rehabilitation course volunteer to receive 16 hours of tuition on alcohol absorption rates and units, health, victims of drink driving, and the role of the police and courts. In return, they get up to a quarter off their driving ban if they complete the course successfully.
TTC began running the courses as a pilot scheme in 1993. They were deemed a success and expanded nationwide in 2000.
For further information contact Elaine Adams, publicity@elaineadams.freeserve.co.uk
Surfing to success
Cardiff Council's road safety website, www.roadsafety.cardiff.gov.uk, has recorded almost 300,000 hits.
The council describes the site as 'a bi-lingual, multi-media site, which offers advice to cyclists, pedestrians, motorists and horse riders'. It also provides downloadable road safety colouring books and quizzes for children, advice on how to buy protective/reflective clothing, school crossing patrol vacancies and useful links to other websites.
"Our road safety website is very popular," said Councillor Elgan Morgan,. "The number of people who've visited shows that all age groups in Cardiff, and further afield, take road safety seriously."
For the full story go to: http://www.newswales.co.uk
Who remembers the Green Cross Man?
With the public information film celebrating its 60th anniversary, the BBC's Magazine is conducting a vote to find the nation's favourite.
Last week the Magazine featured The Green Cross Man.
Despite the launch of the Green Cross Code in 1971 it was proving difficult to get the message across to children - even with Jon Pertwee exhorting children to 'Splink' before they crossed the road.
At the start of the new school year in 1976, a (then) massive £880,000 was spent to bring the Green Cross Code to life.
Dave Prowse, a 6ft 7in former bodybuilder from Bristol (who at the time was filming Star Wars in the role of Darth Vader) was transformed into a superhero character - and The Green Cross Man was born.
"Somebody slapped a large green plastic cross on my chest and I spent the day having photos taken with various combinations of kids, walking across the road, standing at the kerbside, picking the kids up in my arms and with cars, motor cycles, bikes and lorries," he recalls.
After a successful audition, Dave spent the following 14 years working in road safety.
For the full story go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk
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