Safety on the Road, Pavement and In-Car
The items on this page are from a hard hitting British government campaign. called 'Think!' that covers ALL aspects of Road safety. Over a year, many people are injured or killed on Britains roads. Many of the accidents are caused by lack of concentration by one or more of the individuals concerned. Here are a few tips for various road users on foot, cycling, and in the car (N.B. I've enlarged and added bits myself, highlighted in blue, that everyone spouting about road safety forget) : -
Pedestrian Tips:
  • Always use pavements or footpaths.
  • Avoid walking near the kerb with your back to the traffic.
  • If there is no pavement or path, walk on the right-hand side of the road, facing the oncoming traffic.
  • Walk in a single file, close to the edge of the road.
  • Wear something bright and, at night, something reflective (like a cyclists sash).
  • Remember that all vehicles are harder than the human body and as such command respect.
Cycling Control
  • Cyclists should aways wear a helmet and bright, easy-to-see clothing.
  • Regularly check your machine is safe and roadworthy (lights, tyre pressures, etc.).
  • At night a cycle must have front and rear lights lit, a red reflector and amber pedal reflectors.
  • Use cycle routes if possible.
  • Do not cycle on the pavement. Obey all traffic signs and light signals and signals given by a police officer or traffic warden and school crossing patrols.
Mind the Horse
  • Treat all horses as a potential hazard.
  • Look out for horseriders' signals and heed a request to slow down and stop.
  • Remember that riders may ride in double file when escorting a young or inexperienced rider.
  • Take extra care when overtaking. Always pass wide and slow. Do not sound your horn or rev your engine.
  • Drive cautiously when approaching left-hand bends on country roads, as your view ahead will be restricted.
Remind Children about the 'Green Cross Code'
  • Find a safe place to cross - a footbridge, zebra, pelican, toucan or puffin crossing, or where there is a school crossing patrol, traffic warden or police officer.
  • Do not cross between parked cars and avoid blind bends and brows of hills.
  • Stop before you get to the kerb, where you can see traffic in both directions.
  • Look and listen all around you.
  • Let traffic pass. Cross only when there is a safe gap in the traffic.
  • When it is safe, go straight across the road. Do not run. Keep looking and listening.
Stay Safe at the Wheel
  • It is the drivers responsibility to ensure the vehicle is roadworthy so ALWAYS check the simple thing like lights, indicators, brake lights, tyre pressures/wear, etc before commencing any journey.
  • A speed limit is not a target. Drive according to the road and weather conditions. In freezing weather, heavy rain, or traffic, even the legal limit may be too fast (Speed limits are the maximum you should go under IDEAL conditions).
  • Obey light signals and heed/obey road signs (e.g. the No Right Turn sign means exactly what is says), and signals given by a traffic warden or a police officer and school crossing patrols.
  • Look ahead to anticipate problems, like a road blocked by a blind bend. Is there a parked bus just round that bend?
  • Look ahead to junctions from which vehicles might emerge, and give cyclists and horseriders plenty of room.
  • Concentrate - avoid distractions like loud music that might drown out car horns or emergency vehicle sirens.
  • You cannot control your vehicle properly if you are eating, drinking or changing a cassette or CD.
  • Do not use mobile phones, even with a hands-free unit. Your concentration will not be fully on the road!
  • Try to anticipate those around you - will a cyclist wobble in front of you, or a child step off the kerb. Bluntly, expect the unexpected! All other road users are complete idiots, you're the only sane person there.
  • Be patient and stay calm - pull over and relax if need be.
  • Remember to stay back, and use the 'two second rule' to leave the right gap between you and the vehicle in front.
  • Use in-car navigation aids when parked, NOT while moving.
  • If you feel drowsy, pull over, take a short walk and have a coffee and a light snack (better still, stop driving and get some sleep).
  • Remember that a car is a deadly weapon and can kill as quickly and easily as a gun!
Child Seat Safety
Always: -
  • Ensure your child seat is compatible with your car.
  • Follow the fitting instructions carefully, especially when routing an adult belt through its frame (if in doubt, seek help from an expert).
  • Keep those instructions in the car.
  • Dispose of a seat that's been in an accident.
  • Activate the rear door child-proof locks.
  • Remember children grow: make sure they still fit the seat.
Never
  • Buy or use a second-hand seat.
  • Place a child seat opposite an airbag (the safest place for a child is in the rear seat).
  • Restrain more than one child in one belt.
  • Take more children than you have seats on the school run

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