Road Safety Week

A campaign to improve road safety in Telford and Wrekin is being backed by the message Kids Say Slow Down.

It aims to ensure drivers are more considerate of pedestrians and pedestrians more aware of potential hazards when crossing roads.

Schools across the borough will receive a presentation aimed at encouraging pupils to take the twin messages of more considerate driving and better pedestrian awareness home to their parents.

The presentation will be delivered by junior road safety officers in primary schools as part of their role in promoting road safety in general.

Schools can also order posters, resources and find out more about Road Safety Week events by visiting www.roadsafetyweek.org

Holmer Lake Primary School is at the forefront of promoting the road safety message to pupils, parents and motorists. During Road Safety Week, they will be manning the crossing outside and giving out safety tokens to every child that uses it. Children can receive a certificate and a badge by using the crossing every day during the week.

School head Sian Deane said: “We have been doing a lot of work with Telford & Wrekin Council’s Road Safety team to make sure everyone who uses the school is very careful when crossing roads and those motorists who pick up and drop off at the school go a sensible speed for the road. Road Safety Week will only help us to reinforce that message.”

Councillor Adrian Lawrence, cabinet member for Environment, said: “Statistics show that people who drive above speed limits or too fast for the road and the people using it are one of the biggest causes of deaths and injuries to children.

“Slowing down is the single most important thing that drivers can do in towns, villages and around schools. The slower we drive, the more chance we have to react to the unexpected.”

Councillor Stephen Burrell, cabinet member for children and young people4, said: “The overwhelming message from children in Telford and Wrekin in Road Safety Week is if we want to improve the safety and quality of life of children using roads in our communities then we need to slow down.”

In the UK , someone is killed by a driver who is speeding or travelling too fast for conditions every 15 hours. Police identified it as a contributory factor to 575 road deaths in 2009 - that's almost two deaths a day.

Telford & Wrekin Council Road Safety Team is dedicated to reducing accidents and casualties across the Borough as well as encouraging more active forms of travel.

The aim of the Road Safety Team is to reduce the cost of accidents and casualties in human terms and the resulting financial pressure this places on public services.

The team achieves its aims through the implementation of low cost education, training and publicity activities which compliment or reduce the need for engineering measures.

Road Safety contributes towards the following council priorities; Active Lifestyles, Adult Care and Support, Children and Young People, Community Focused, Efficient Council, Community Protection and Cohesion and Environment and Rural Area.

 Brake Road Safety Week aims to encourage greater levels of active travel amongst children, reduce instances of accidents and casualties. This in turn reduces long term pressure on adult care services and demands on council resources through low cost initiatives.