‘Be Bike Smart’ and ‘Be a Mate’ are the themes for road safety week
Road safety teams across Telford and Wrekin will be out and about this week to focus attention on saving lives on our roads as part of the national Road Safety Week and Alcohol Awareness Week, which both get underway today (19 November).
Those on two wheels are among the most vulnerable of UK road users, making up more than a third of people killed or seriously injured.
The Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia is supporting the Be Bike Smart theme with partners running events around the region.
As 19-25 November is also Alcohol Awareness Week, the campaign in Telford and Wrekin will also be linked to alcohol awareness. It is known that drinking alcohol increases people’s risk of being involved and harmed in an accident, whether a driver or a pedestrian.
During 2016/17 there were 193 people admitted to hospital from the borough following accidental injuries as a result of alcohol consumption. Whilst Telford remains below national rates for hospital admission due to alcohol related accidental injury, recent fatalities in and around Telford have highlighted the risk of being on or around roads after drinking alcohol.
So in addition to promoting the Be Bike Smart message, agencies in Telford and Wrekin will be using the week to raise awareness of responsible drinking and general road safety, in particular encouraging 17-25 year olds to ‘Be a Mate’ and keep their friends safe around roads after drinking alcohol.
Road safety teams will be visiting schools throughout the week and holding a roadshow in Southwater on Tuesday to increase understanding of the importance of protecting those on two wheels and keeping friends safe around roads after a night out.
Road safety messages will also be streamed on electronic roadside boards and shared on social media using the hashtags #RoadSafetyWeek and #BikeSmart.
Councillor Hilda Rhodes, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for transport, roads and broadband, said: “Our road safety teams regularly visit schools and local groups to promote road safety messages, but Road Safety Week gives us the opportunity to focus everyone’s attention on saving lives on our roads and how quite small things can help save lives.”
