This content is out of date and scheduled to be removed.

Road Safety Week 2016: How YOU can make a difference

Image of Neil Thomason
Author: | Updated: 17 Nov 2016 13:48

This week (21-27 November), Brake is raising awareness for Road Safety Week – the UK's biggest road safety event.

Coordinated annually by the charity and involving thousands of schools, organisations and communities, the aim of the event is to prevent road death and injury, make streets and communities safer, and support the victims of road crashes.

#brakepledge

Brake founded Road Safety Week in 1997 with a unique theme for each year. Now in its 19th year, Brake has chosen to focus on the six elements of the Brake Pledge for Road Safety Week 2016: Slow, Sober, Secure, Silent, Sharp and Sustainable.

Over the next few days, ContractHireAndLeasing.com will be providing safety-focused content, as well as teaming up with Moorfield Primary School and asking primary school children to design what they think the world’s safest car should look like.

Ahead of this, we’re looking in-depth at the Brake Pledge and challenging our readers to see how they can make a difference.

SlowSlow

Breaking the speed limit or travelling too fast for road conditions is a contributory factor in more than one in four fatal crashes in Great Britain.

We all remember swatting up on stopping distances prior to our driving theory test, but how many of us can remember them these days? Even with radical improvements to cars such as automatic emergency braking, it’s still important to understand how speed and weather affects our ability to react.

Fast traffic also makes people afraid to walk or cycle, which is why there are many campaigns to lower traffic speeds to 20mph around shops, schools and houses to create a safer environment. It is theorised that this could help reduce pedestrian and cyclist casualties by around 40%.

 

SoberSober

Having even one drink before getting behind the wheel can affect your ability to drive. With one in seven road deaths happening because of someone who has driven while over the limit, there are frequent calls to reduce the drink threshold and bring it in line with Scotland.

It’s estimated that 25 lives would be saved every year, and 95 people would escape life-changing injuries, if the legal drink-drive limit in England and Wales were lowered to 50mg blood/100ml alcohol.

Sadly this would only reduce damage, as drivers with even 20-50mg alcohol per 100ml of blood are still three times more likely to die in a crash than those with none. This is why Brake asks everyone to pledge not to drink even a drop before driving

 

SecureSecure

With every new car released, the amount of safety tech on board grows – from lane departure assist to warnings that passengers don’t have their seatbelt on.

Despite this, seat belts are still seen as an inconvenience by some drivers, and 21% of car occupants killed in crashes were not wearing one.

On top of this, the most common vehicle defect which contributes to fatal crashes is defective or under-inflated tyres.

Many drivers remain oblivious to some of the vital checks and upkeep they need to do to remain safe, so check tyre pressure once a month and replace tyres when the tread depth reaches below 1.6mm.

 

SilentSilent

Though initially put into the Brake Pledge to halt drivers using their phone at the wheel, with the intricate infotainment systems now on offer in many vehicles it might be time to change this and ask drivers to remain stationary too.

Drivers who perform a complex secondary task, like using a mobile phone, while at the wheel are three times more likely to crash than non-distracted drivers.

There’s also a clear generational gap too, as a Brake and Direct Line survey found that drivers aged 25-34 had the most dangerous mobile-phone habits, with 42% admitting they sent or read texts while driving at least once a week and 31% admitting they used apps or went online while driving at least once a week.

So we ask that drivers make any music or route selections prior to setting off on their journey and remain focused, with hands on the wheel, during their drive.

 

SharpSharp

Believe it or not but a quarter of drivers have not had an eye test within the last two years. The result? 2,900 casualties and £33 million in damage as a result of crashes.

With driving-specific glasses and sunglasses now available, booking in for a regular eye test should be at the top of any driver’s to-do list – you might be surprised at the results.

What’s more, it’s important to also stay focussed on safe driving. This could involve taking regular breaks if travelling a long distance and never driving if you’re tired, stressed or taking medication that could adversely affect your ability to stay sharp.

 

SustainableSustainable

With so many cars on the roads now, our infrastructure and environment is suffering. That’s not a complaint, it’s a simple fact of life with poor public transport and many households needing a car each to get to work adding to the burden.

Brake believe that by finding ways to minimise the amount we drive, we can help make our communities safer while doing the best we can for the environment and our individual health.

Regular walking, jogging and cycling can all help guard against various ailments such as asthma, depression, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and even some cancers. So the next time you need to pop to the corner shop, think of walking there instead of getting in your car.

How will you be raising awareness for Brake Road Safety Week?

Previous Post Next Post
Not sure what car you want?
  • Easy-to-use tool
  • Save time and money
  • Meet your match
Find your dream car