Archive for the ‘All’ Category

Every day two young drivers are killed on Britain’s roads. It is statistics like this that are behind the striking new campaign ‘No more lives wasted’.

The campaign includes a series of thought-provoking posters and a website with video clips, facts and figures and advice for new drivers. Visit www.nomoreliveswasted.com for more info.

FACTFILE:

• Young drivers are more likely to kill or injure themselves or their passengers in a road crash.  Young people under 25 represent just one in ten of all car drivers, but about one in four of all car drivers killed or seriously injured.
• Young people are far more likely to be killed on the road than older people, meaning road deaths are often a tragic waste of young life.
• Driving too fast for the road and weather conditions and driving too close to the vehicle in front are just two examples of dangerous actions. Risk taking is most common among young men and results in many females dieing as passengers.
• Many young drivers and passengers fail to belt up. If everybody belted up and ensured that their passengers did too, many lives could be saved.
• Drivers aged between 17 and 25 make up a disproportionate number of offenders and casualties in drink-driving incidents.

A booklet entitled Caught Speeding? Want to Trick the System? has been produced to urge motorists to consider the consequences if they attempt to deceive the Police to get out of a speeding penalty.

The Safety Camera Scheme has become increasingly aware of the growing number of drivers who, when issued with a Notice of Intended Prosecution for a speeding offence, attempt to contest their tickets by deceiving or misleading the Authorities as to the identity of the driver, address details, who the car belongs to, or ‘passing on’ points to a willing third party. Using case studies and general information, the booklet aims to warn those who may be contemplating an attempt to dodge the system of the very serious penalties that may be imposed if caught.

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High-impact and thought-provoking road safety production ‘Legal Weapon’ offered to Year 12 & 13 students.

The Safety Camera Scheme and Leicestershire County Council’s Road Safety and Travel Awareness Team teamed up to offer schools and colleges in the City, County and Rutland an opportunity to host Legal Weapon free of charge.

Legal Weapon is a powerful drama which confronts the issues of excessive speeding, peer pressure and general young driver attitude. Using tight, stylised theatre techniques which take the audience through a roller coaster of emotions, this is a powerful and emotive drama that moves at a blistering speed.  It shows pre/young drivers that they need to combine newly acquired driving skills with a safe and responsible attitude if they are to keep themselves and other road users safe. 

The play by the award-winning Ape Theatre Company Ltd toured the area during Road Safety Week 2006 which was 6th-12th November. The main theme of Road Safety Week was year is young driver and passenger safety. A council spokesperson said:

“Theatre in education is a powerful medium for exploring this emotive and timely issue. Ape Theatre Company is impressive in its ability to speak to young people in their own language and we are delighted to be able to provide the production to students in Leicestershire to improve the safety of both drivers and passengers.”

Motorcycle News ‘Man of the Year’ Leon Haslam joined Safety Camera Partnerships to promote Speed Awareness at the Motorcycle and Scooter Show

British Superbike star Leon Haslam joined his father, legendary biker Ron Haslam, at the Midlands Safety Camera Partnerships’ (MSCP) stand to sign copies of camera locations CD-Roms. The pair said they were keen to support safety cameras, which encourage bikers and motorists to comply with speed limits and reduce casualties on the country’s roads. The CD-Rom, which features the location of fixed, mobile and red light safety camera in the Midlands, also includes tips on riding safely and reducing the risk of a crash. Leon, who supported MSCP at the event on Press Day, said:

“It is important to show support for this campaign. Any project that aims to keep motorcyclists safe is positive and worthwhile.”

His father Ron, who was four-times the British Champion and was also crowned Motorcycle News ‘Man of the Year’ in 1981, said he was equally supportive of MSCP’s work. He said:

“Riding safely is vital - no matter how much experience you have. It is so important to be aware of your speed and the dangers around you, whether you are on the road or on the track.

“I am pleased to support an initiative that encourages bikers to enjoy what they do, but keep themselves and others safe.”

The pair carried out the signing at the partnerships’ hard-hitting stand, which includes two motorcycle crash scenes based on actual collisions. The two scenarios warn of the dangers of riding at excessive and inappropriate speeds and urge bikers to brush up their skills by enrolling on a training course.

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Teaching Tomorrow’s Drivers the Importance of Safe Driving 

The Safety Camera Scheme and Leicestershire County Council’s Road Safety and Travel Awareness Team have come together to conduct Pre- and New Driver Days at Mallory Park to educate the most vulnerable group of motorists, new drivers.

Statistics show that this group are the most at risk of having a collision with 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers having a crash within their first year of driving.

Aimed at 16 year olds onwards, the Driver Days give youngsters in the County the opportunity to take part in a variety of workshops which highlight key issues faced by new and inexperienced drivers including:

• Introduction to driving
• Hazard perception
• The risks of excessive speeding

The workshops are conducted by Road Safety and the Fire & Rescue Service. The young people attending will also be given training on issues relating to responsibilities of car ownership and awareness of car maintenance.

A unique and vital aspect of the programme is that it includes a practical off-road driving session around Mallory Park with an Advanced Driving Instructor allowing young people the chance to gain confidence behind the wheel in a hazard-free environment.

In December 2006, the Safety Camera Scheme, as part of the Midlands Safety Camera Partnership, received a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award under the category of Public Education for the Speeding - It’s Not Impressive campaign targeting young drivers. The hard-hitting campaign was designed to persuade speeding motorists to change the way they drive. The campaign was based on the findings of a detailed research project into driver attitude and behaviour and incorporated feedback from speeding drivers on how advertising could best be used to encourage them to slow down.

Speeding - It’s not impressive brings home the consequences of speeding to teenagers and young adult drivers. The campaign plays on these drivers’ concerns that their fast driving could result in someone close to them being killed or injured. The strap lines of ‘Out with your mates?’ and ‘First date?’ were used alongside hard-hitting visuals of the aftermath of a collision.

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