24 July 2019
Everyone in the county is a highway user, whether on foot, bicycle or in motor vehicles. By providing road safety education opportunities for all these groups at all ages, we can significantly improve safety and reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Nottinghamshire’s roads.
We’re pleased to be able to offer almost 30 cycle training events for riders of all ages across the county this summer. Events range from teaching young children to learn to ride with balance bikes, progressing to cycling activities in a traffic-free environment before ultimately giving young people the cycle skills to navigate more challenging traffic situations and hazards such as complex junctions and roundabouts. 11-15-year olds remain the most likely age group to be involved in accidents but there has been an increase in middle aged cyclist casualties too, so we have expanded our adult training to include learn to ride sessions for new adult cyclists in our summer programme. Details on the full programme of events over the summer can be found on our website
Over 10,000 people have completed the Bikeability scheme this year, which forms part of our cycle training, and we’re now also working with partners to roll out a ‘Close Pass’ campaign that encourages drivers to give cyclists more room and cyclists to adopt good road positions.
We’re particularly proud of our road safety education in schools, having delivered to over 25,000 young people in the last year. Casualty figures from the county’s roads, along with National trends, has identified secondary aged children as a key audience and our work has seen a significant reduction in the number of teenage road casualties in the county.
We make the sessions as interactive as possible, starting from year seven right through to sixth form. We look at the change in the modes of transport as we mature into adulthood and educate youngsters to consider attitudes and behaviour, such as the dangers of being distracted, how our choices affect road safety, overcrowding in cars and the consequences of young drivers being involved in accidents.
It’s not just young people who really benefit from Road Safety Education, figures also suggest there has been a significant increase in accidents involving drivers aged 70 and over, and with an increasing aging population, it’s more important than ever that we offer a programme designed to support them too.
For example, our Drive On scheme aims to keep people safely behind the wheel for as long as possible by helping them to understand the issues which can impact their driving. The scheme is really taking off and has been delivered in partnership with groups such as U3A’s and local WI groups, with many attendees taking up the opportunity to go on an accompanied drive with a qualified driving instructor.
Another important part of this scheme is to encourage people to have that ‘difficult conversation’ with older relatives and friends to raise any concerns they might have about their driving. Keep an eye out for posters and postcards in your local area and we hope you will help us spread the word about safer driving in later life and the support we can offer.
For further information please contact the communications and marketing team on 0115 9773151 or email news@nottscc.gov.uk
Councillor Gordon Wheeler, Chairman of the Communities and Place Review & Development Committee
