Support Road Safety Week
Road Safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is offering suggestions for drivers to support Road Safety Week (starting Monday 23 November), and to do their bit to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on the UK’s roads.
GEM chief executive David Williams MBE puts the safety picture into perspective. ‘Every day around five people are killed on our roads, while more than 60 experience injuries that will change their lives for ever. We are united with many other organisations in supporting Road Safety Week and encouraging all road users to put safety first.’
‘Every road user can make a difference, whether they’re a car driver, a truck driver, a cyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian. We encourage everyone to take time and think about how they can be safer on their journeys. By doing this, they’ll immediately be reducing risk for themselves and those around them.’
GEM offers four tips for drivers and other road users to contribute immediately to a reduction in deaths and injuries:
- Slow down: give yourself time to plan and time to react. Ask yourself not only are the speeds you use within legal limits, but are they appropriate for the conditions? Could you stop in an emergency without hitting and hurting yourself or someone else?
- Be observant: watch out for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users who may need your help. When you’re driving, banish all distractions (particularly smartphones and other in-car technology) and commit 100% of your attention to staying safe on the journey.
- Forgive others: we all make mistakes while driving, and the perfect driver has yet to be found. Hopefully your kind and forgiving attitude will rub off onto others. Don’t match another driver’s violations or bad behaviour with aggression of your own, and never drive with the intention of ‘teaching someone else a lesson’.
- Be alert: if you’re driving, then make sure you’re in good physical shape. Fatigue reduces your ability to concentrate and can make your reaction times much slower. If you feel tired on a journey, take a break.
David Williams concluded, ‘Safer road use begins with a positive attitude and a willingness to make safety the priority. We hope this year’s Road Safety Week will highlight the importance of care, courtesy and consideration on today’s crowded roads.’
