Road Safety Week launched

 
Chief Inspector David McLaren, Met Police Traffic Unit said:

"Road safety is everyone's concern and each one of us can do something to save lives on roads and prevent further tragedies. This year's focus on young drivers is especially relevant as too many young people are killed each year on London's roads. I hope this year's Road Safety Week 'Too Young To Die' theme will be a timely reminder of how simple precautions can save lives."

The Met's Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Traffic officers will be carrying out a range of activities across London, throughout the week, to create awareness amongst all road users. This will include work with car drivers, LGV drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. Met activity will focus on creating awareness, prevention and keeping people safe but enforcement will be carried out where necessary.

The Metropolitan Police are holding different activities each day of the week:

Yesterday focussed on young drivers, with boroughs throughout the Met visiting young people at colleges to hand out road safety leaflets. Officers also stopped young drivers to create awareness around the dangers of speed and distraction and to check the roadworthiness of vehicles in preparation for winter weather conditions.

Today (Tuesday 22 November) tha campaign will target LGV's with teams checking whether a vehicle has been well maintained and is fully roadworthy.

On Wednesday, the emphasis will be motorcyclist safety. Officers will be identifying speeding motorcyclists around London. They will be warning them of the dangers of speeding and where appropriate, issuing fines. Officers will also be encouraging motorcyclists to take steps to improve their riding skills through schemes like 'BikeSafe', and advising on safe clothing.

Thursday will see officers patrolling prominent pedestrian walkways throughout the MPS in an effort to stop people from crossing roads dangerously - the cause of many deaths each year.

Finally, Friday will focus on cyclists. The Traffic Cycle team will be educating cyclists of all ages to reduce serious and fatal collisions involving cyclists and HGVs, predominately when a HGV is turning left, either by changing lanes or more usually through a left turn into a minor junction. There will also be leaflet drops and pavement cycling enforcement.
Road crashes are a huge killer of young people on the roads each year. 'Too Young To Die' is Brake's campaign to help young people save their own lives

Every day in Britain alone six young people aged 12-19 are killed or seriously hurt on foot or bicycles, and 19 young people under 25 are killed or seriously hurt in cars.

All too often young people are killed or maimed in cars or on motorbikes due to speeding, drink and drug driving, using mobile phones while driving, or just not belting up. Young people on foot and bicycles also take risks that result in death and serious injury.

To illustrate some of these dangers the Met will be releasing two video clips from the MPS Driving School Instructor Buck Ryan everyday from 21-25 November. These clips will be available on MPS website and the Met's YouTube section. There will also be a daily road safety advice tip on the Met's Twitter account in support of Road Safety Week.

Please visit related links for more information and don't forget to check out the MPS website for expert road safety advice clips.