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FREIGHT TRANSPORT CAMPAIGN DRIVER FATIGUE CAMPAIGN Some 20% of motorway crashes are caused by fatigue. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) was aware of the potential dangers of lorries being driven by tired drivers. The FTA worked with AWAKE, the sleep research unit at the University of Loughborough, to produce best practice advice for drivers and managers by means of posters, leaflets and pocket cards distributed directly to drivers and, in co-operation with the police, at motorway service areas and other roadside locations. In addition, every FTA member has received a copy of the FTA Guide to Driver Fatigue. FTA is presently working on new ways to develop the campaign and increasing public and industry knowledge of fatigue and how to recognise it, prevent it, and increase road safety. The association is looking at extending the campaign to cover drink, drugs and mobile phones. Contact: Geoff Dosseter on tel: 01892 552255 E-mail: gdossetter@fta.co.uk NEW HAZARD PERCEPTION TRAINING – BSM Learner drivers struggle to acquire the cognitive skills required to process information while driving, they have problems anticipating hazards, judging distances and awareness of speed. BSM has recently launched a new road safety-training programme called MAP (Mind Alertness Programme) to address this weakness. This programme has radically improved the cognitive skills of students, which has improved the standards of achievement during the hazard perception test. Contact: Rob Maynard on tel: 01454 208308; E-mail: rmaynard@rac.co.uk THE LANCASHIRE PARTNERSHIP FOR ROAD SAFETY The Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety – launched in November 2002 – is committed to reducing the number of deaths and injuries on Lancashire’s roads. It is a long-term commitment to making fundamental changes to how we use the roads. The project is about saving lives, reducing injury and disability and making Lancashire a safer place in which to walk, cycle, ride and drive. The programme aims to create a long-term shift in the public’s attitude and behaviour towards road safety. Over the next three years the project aims to achieve a minimum of 40 lives saved, 580 fewer people seriously injured and 760 fewer people slightly injured. In real terms, its aim is to create an annual cost saving of £9.6m. Fewer people seriously injured means less hardship and disruption for us all. Partners are: Lancashire Constabulary, Lancashire CC, Blackburn with Darwen BC, Blackpool BC, NHS, Highways Agency, Lancashire Magistrates Court and Government Office NW Website: www.safe2travel.co.uk RENAULT
This “Safety First” corporate commitment goes well beyond product development. Renault ensures that the “safety” culture extends to marketing and customer care, particularly in the family market. “Safety First” is the driving force behind all its design and development programmes and its community relations programme. As part of a worldwide campaign to provide support for schools; an important example of Renault’s community relations commitment is the “Safety Matters” primary schools road safety initiative. This is a three-to-five-year national road safety programme for primary schools across Europe. Contact: Mandy Hopkins on tel: 01923 697545 E-mail: mandy.hopkins@renault.co.uk ENGINEERING CONSULTANCY – CITY OF YORK There were 66 accidents between 1994 and 1998 in the Heworth area, 17 of these (25%) at Heworth Green/Malton Road,where there is high congestion at peak times. In total, these accidents cost society an estimated £2.9m in police, medical and lost work time. Following a study by transport consultants, a package of measures was developed to tackle them. One of these was the highly successful “Magic roundabout”, which has virtually eliminated all accidents at this site. York is a city that leads in the encouragement of cycling and gives priority to pedestrians. This new roundabout has been acclaimed by motorists too. Contact: Ray Chaplin on tel: 01904 551600 E-mail: ray.chaplin@york.gov.uk HIBERNIAN GENERAL INSURANCE LTD – IGNITION PROGRAMME In August 2001, Hibernian General Insurance of Ireland launched “Ignition” – a scheme for less experienced drivers that rewards successful participants with a minimum discount of 20% on their Hibernian Private Motor Insurance Premium. The scheme was launched in association with the Institute of Advanced Motorists. Hibernian’s aim is to provide “reasonably priced” insurance for “less experienced” drivers, while fostering a culture of safer driving and to encourage these drivers to continue to develop their driving skills throughout their driving careers. The commitment of Hibernian to road safety goes well beyond this scheme – the company plays a lead role within the Irish National Safety Council. Contact: Kela O’Riordan on tel: 00 353 1607 8299 E-mail: kela.oriordan@hibernian.ie KINGSTON-UPON-HULL – SAFE and LIVEABLE STREETS FOR CHILDREN The City of Hull has more than 100 20mph zones covering a quarter of its road length, in total 120 miles of road subject to 20mph limit. Hull has about a quarter of a million people with a relatively high level of deprivation. Using traffic calming methods, introduced with the close involvement of the community and emergency services for the 20mph zones, accident figures have improved dramatically – between 20 and 40%. This community involvement included the adoption of road signs designed by the local children. Contact: Tony Kirby on tel: 01482 612095 E-mail: tony.kirby@hullcc.gov.uk WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE NHS TRUST West Midlands Ambulance Service has been involved with road safety education through many events and projects, both in its own right and as a partner with other services and organisations. It has taken the lead, in association with other emergency services, to increase awareness in schools, colleges and young offender groups. It has also led an outreach programme in India, where its paramedic programme has already made a significant impact in the reduction of the number of road deaths. Contact: Steve Evans 01384 215650 E-mail: steve.evans@wmas.nhs.uk JOHN PILGRIM, BBC Three Counties Radio John attracts a wide audience because of his unbiased and straightforward approach to radio journalism. During the years that he has featured road safety, he has opened up the field of using radio as a forum for better education and publicity of road safety. He has been positive in his influence on the public, the opinion of road safety officers and of the police. He works with the Road Safety Officers from Bedfordshire County Council and Luton Borough Council, Bedfordshire Constabulary and Schools and the public in the three counties of Beds, Herts and Bucks. During the last two years, he has covered various road safety subjects during his three-hour Out and About radio programme, including the live launch of Bedfordshire Road Safety “Passport For Life” scheme. Contact: John Pilgrim 01767 692179 ROSPA CHILD SEAT RESTRAINTS WEBSITE
The European Council and European Parliament have approved a new Directive that will require Member States to change their national laws to require children who are travelling in cars to use an appropriate child restraint. This will remove the current loophole in the UK law that says restraints must be used “if available”. Therefore, it is likely that the use of child restraints will increase substantially over the next few years, which is likely to be accompanied by a concurrent increase in badly-fitted restraints. It is anticipated that this will generate a need for more information and advice. This continuously-updated website does just that. Contact: Kevin Clinton on tel: 0121 248 2000 Website: www.childcarseats.org.uk EDUCATION AND TRAINING AWARD sponsored by Wincanton. WEST MERCIA CONSTABULARY In 2001, West Mercia Constabulary instigated a five-year programme of high-profile public education and enforcement campaigns using the news media to broadcast the safety message, accompanied by carefully-targeted enforcement activity concentrating on high-risk areas. Each campaign has been initiated by media launches, followed up by public announcement of the results and successes at its conclusion, thus ensuring that the key messages are put over twice. Campaigns have included: seatbelts, child pedestrians, drink drive, motorcycle safety and courtesy, care and consideration. Contact: Kate Tonge on tel: 01905 331663 E-mail: kate.tonge@westmercia.pnn.police.uk MOTOR CYCLE INDUSTRY AWARD sponsored by The Motor Cycle Industry Association. FATAL ATTRACTION
The campaign does not adopt an authoritarian style or a clichéd “ride safely” message, but seeks to embrace the unique ethos of the sport. It recognises that these riders are skilled and will ride to the limits whenever possible – offering training or safety advice to this group is likely to fall on deaf ears! This new project takes a different approach: it seeks to influence the behaviour of sports bike riders by making them think about the choices they take each time they ride. The campaign does not try to preach about riding safely; in fact the word “safe” is hardly mentioned. It does make innovative use of graphic images of crashes and thought-provoking comments to bring alive the dangers of taking risks and riding to the limits. Contact Sheila Ormerod on tel: 01623 631641; E-mail: sheila.ormerod@bt.openworld.com TECHNOLOGY AWARD sponsored by BSI ROBERT BOSCH BRAKING SYSTEMS ESP is the latest in an evolving line of electronic braking systems, which started with ABS as long as 25 years ago this year. Since that time, traction control and now ESP have made significant contributions to road safety. Two major studies have proven that ESP is able to reduce accident rates by significant numbers and, because it is of most help when, for whatever reason, the driver has lost control of his or her vehicle, it is actually best at preventing the most serious crashes. As the world's largest producer of brake control systems, Bosch was the first supplier to begin mass production of ESP in 1995. Bosch has played the leading role in developing electronic control, starting with ABS 25 years ago this year. ESP comprises sensors around the vehicle that report the steering instructions given by the driver and the actual motion of the vehicle to a central controller (dedicated computer). If it detects a possible deviation, the ESP controller intervenes, braking individual wheels and reducing engine power to ensure the vehicle stays on a safe course. Such has been the impact of ABS that it becomes a compulsory fit on all new vehicles in Western Europe from 2004. Contact: Ruth Holubecki on tel: 01895 838546 E-mail: ruth.holubecki@uk.bosch.com FLEET SERVICE AWARD sponsored by Roxby Media LOUGHBOROUGH SLEEP RESEARCH CENTRE Driver tiredness is one area that illustrates how terrifying falling asleep at the wrong time and in the wrong place can be. An accident, when on company business, can result in costs running into the millions, prosecution of the directors, and prison for the driver. • At least 20% of accidents on major, non-urban roads are due to tiredness • Many tiredness crashes are work-related • Tired drivers kill more people than drink drivers • At least 40,000 serious injuries and nearly 3,500 deaths occurred on our roads last year, with drowsiness The most probable single cause of any truck crash is its driver falling asleep at the wheel, which is also the most likely reason for the vehicle being written off, together with its load. Moreover, there’s a high chance that every truck will be involved in at least one sleep-related crash of some sort during its lifetime. The world-renowned Loughborough team led by Professor Jim Horne undertakes quantitative and qualitative research for a wide range of clients. Recent studies have shown that that the most effective short-term solution to driver tiredness is to stop in a safe place, drink a cup or two of strong coffee and to nap for about 15-20 minutes. Longer naps can leave you feeling groggy, so it is essential to limit sleep to this length. Significantly the team has provided background research to support the Government’s Think Tiredness campaign, in addition to a number of products designed to counter driver fatigue including the FTA’s Fatigue Campaign. Awake is the recently launched commercial arm of the research centre and has considerable expertise to help companies. One of the hallmarks of the centre is its commitment to the development of innovative programmes, some of which are now becoming widely available. Two examples are: • The Driver Reviver – a scientifically-researched tape or CD designed to help tired drivers make the best use of a 30-minute break from driving • ASTID (Advisory System for Tired Drivers) – developed using a software algorithm that incorporates sound scientific research into driver sleepiness Contact: Paul Jackson on tel: 020 7693 6166; Website: www.awakeltd.info INTERNATIONAL AWARDS TRL – PIONEERING ROAD SAFETY WORK IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
TRL tracked 3,500 offenders over five years after they were first sent by the courts to attend an alcohol rehabilitation course. Results showed they had significantly increased their knowledge with a marked change in attitude towards drink driving. Only 5.3% of men and 4.3% of women had re-offended after five years. Contact: Jenny Feeham on tel: 01952 292246 E-mail: train@ttc-uk.com RAC’s Grass Routes The “Investigating Safer Journeys to School” programme is in now in its third year. Originally formulated to focus primarily on the environmental effects of the school run, as well as connected issues such as road safety, personal security and health, this year’s “Grass Routes” programme now takes road safety as its focal point. The Grass Routes’ pack has been reformulated specifically to tackle the problem of road safety skills among the most vulnerable group of road users in the UK – secondary school pupils, and in particular 11-12 year olds. The pack is free of charge and has been enthusiastically received by secondary school teachers and road safety officers. The carbon emissions produced as a result of the Grass Routes pack being printed have been offset by the planting of trees in UK forests. Contact: Nicola Latham on tel: 020 891 72937 E-mail: nlatham@rac.co.uk Website: www.rac.co.uk SWINDON Borough Council Theatre in Education and Video The tutor group at the local sixth form college looked at ways of encouraging children, young people and those who were not so young to have a positive attitude towards drinking and driving and look at the consequences of these actions. They designed a series of resources for use with Key Stage 2 and new and existing drivers. The pack for schools is designed to be used as a CD-ROM programme to encourage learning through play, highlighting the risk to child pedestrians, cyclists and passengers when drivers have either had too much to drink or taken drugs. There is a pack for new drivers, which includes a key ring, postcards explaining actual experiences and the resulting prison sentences, and a credit card giving details of average alcoholic limits of standard-size drinks. Other resources include a series of posters, all designed to suit a different market: one set of three posters depicts a pint glass with a series of text messages, and these are very topical with the boom in mobile phones. Swindon Borough Council was responsible for both theses promotions. Contact: Margaret Tester on tel: 01793 463000 E-mail: mtester@swindon.gov.uk CLEVELAND SAFETY CAMERA PARTNERSHIP – CENTURY FM ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN
These are due to be launched nationally. Contact: Sue Beck 01604 635157 WISE DRIVE “DRIVE FOR LIFE" Wise Drive “Drive for Life” is a multi-agency initiative for young people in County Durham and Darlington, which has been developed with the support of BSM, Durham CC, DVLA and others. PC David Nixon leads the partnership of Durham Constabulary, Fire Service, Ambulance Services, McDonald’s, (which gives lunchtime burgers) and Darlington Borough Council. The scheme aims to provide a multi-agency initiative for young people who are within reach of their first driving licence, to enable them to become safer drivers. The method of delivery is always hands on, with the young people taking part in each event throughout the day. David Nixon briefs all the young people at the end of the event and asks them to tale the road safety message back to their school. Contact: David Nixon 0191 375 2031 |
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