WARWICKSHIRE Road Safety Partnership is calling on drivers to slow down to help protect pedestrians and other road users.
This week saw National Safe Speeds Day on Wednesday which saw motorists urged to think about how fast they were going – especially on residential roads.
National Safe Speeds Day is part of Project Edward (Every Day Without A Road Death) and takes place during the national Vulnerable Road Users Campaign – that runs from September 6 to 19.
Police officers, staff and volunteers – including the Special Constabulary and Warwickshire’s 56 Community Speed Watch groups – will be out monitoring speeds across the county with a particular focus on residential areas.
Sgt Dave Valente said “Driving at speeds inappropriate to the conditions or in excess of the limit in residential areas puts lives at risk, as pedestrians are four times more likely to die if hit by a vehicle travelling at 40mph than at 30mph.”
During a two-week anti speeding campaign in July and August 2021, 3,907 drivers were caught speeding in Warwickshire.
Shockingly 51 of these drivers were stopped for speeding offences in 30mph residential zones where there are more pedestrians including children.
Sgt Valente said: “This is not acceptable and our communities feel the same.
“We are asking drivers to please slow down and safely #ShareTheSpace with pedestrians and other road users because we need to work together if we are to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.
“Speed kills but we are hoping that there will be no deaths or serious injuries during the 24 hour Safe Speeds Day period.”
The nights are also starting to draw in as we move into autumn making visibility more challenging and to help counter this, WRSP is supplying partners and local police with high vis item to offer to pedestrians and other road users.
WRSP has distributed Slow Down bin stickers via Warwickshire’s 56 Community Speed Watch groups as a reminder to drivers who will see the bins on driveways in residential areas. Residents wanting a sticker for their bin can contact their local Warwickshire Police team.
