05
June
2014
|
11:47
Europe/London

Road safety on the agenda during awareness week

Mock car crashes; a drama involving school pupils on the dangers of drink-driving and practical road safety training for children and their parents will also be used during the awareness-raising week, which begins at 10.30am on Monday 9 June with the logo recreation at Heyford Hill Sainsbury's in Oxford.

People attending then can also experience a lorry driver's view of a road with the help of supply chain company GIST to help press home a message about road users' shared responsibility when using the highway.

Creating a safer community

All the events are part of 365alive, an Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service designed to create a safer community via education and preventative work.

Latest figures show there were 28 fatalities on Oxfordshire's roads in 2012, along with 279 people who suffered serious injuries as a result of collisions and 1,951 who received slight injury.

Range of events

Mick Clarke, Oxfordshire County Council's Fire and Rescue Service's Road Safety Manager, who will be at the logo mock-up, said: "It is everybody's responsibility to make our roads safer and I would like to encourage everyone to be aware of the role they play in making our roads safer for all road users.

"It doesn't matter if it's a cyclist; a motorcyclist; a driver or a pedestrian: they all should play a significant part in making Oxfordshire's roads safer and help to ensure the safety of other road users.

"We have a range of events on and I would highly recommend people coming to one of them if they can to learn more."

Sergeant Chris Appleby, from Thames Valley Police, said: “Thames Valley Police will be actively supporting all our partners involved in National Road Safety Week. This is a great opportunity for all road users to learn how to improve their safety whilst using the roads whether walking, cycling or using a car.

"National Road Safety Week will be running during the National Drink Drive campaign and reinforces the message to never drink and drive.”

What's going on and when?

  • Monday 9 June: UK Road Safety Week logo recreation and chance to experience a lorry driver's view of the road at the Heyford Hill Sainsbury's in Oxford from 10am-midday
  • Tuesday 10 June: A car-cut demonstration at Banbury Fire Station will be attended by Oxford Cherwell Valley College students from 11am and firefighters will be at Wheatley Services off the M40 from 10am-2pm to raise awareness about distractions when driving via a mock crash
  • A mock motorcycle and car crash focusing on possible driver distractions will be manned by firefighters in Henley town centre from 10am-2pm on Wednesday 11 June while firefighters will be joined from 2pm by police officers to take part with pupils at Gosford Hill School in Kidlington in a drama about the possible consequences of drink-driving. Students will then be told the penalties associated with drink-driving
  • Wallingford firefighters will be in the town's centre on Thursday 12 June from 10am to 2pm with a mock car accident. Representatives from GIST will give a lorry and child safety demonstration at Stephen Freeman School in Didcot from 1pm
  • Didcot firefighters will be at the town's Sainsbury's from 10am to 2pm on Friday 13 June with a mocked up car crash involving a car and a motorcycle to raise awareness about possible dangers of driving the morning after drinking. From 2.30pm road safety officers will run the Footsteps education programme, where parents are encouraged to take their children to the roadside for practical training, at Botley School