27.07.23 – Safer Summer Roads Campaign, Violence Reduction Alliance Survey

Staffordshire Police are asking drivers and road users to take care on the roads as part of their ‘SaferSummerRoads campaign’.

Officers across Staffordshire will be carrying out a three-week long campaign this month as they look to target motorists who are putting others at risk through speeding and poor road safety awareness.

The initiative which has launched this week will involve a series of enforcement and education activities across the county – just as people start heading out for holidays, festivals and days out during the peak summer months.

The primary aim of the campaign is centred around preventing speeding and increasing awareness around the dangers of speeding, which is often a factor in collisions and, in the last three years, speed contributed to 32 per cent of crashes in which someone died or was seriously injured.

As part of the operation, officers will be focusing their efforts on roads and areas where speeding is known to be an issue or there is a history of serious collisions. Our roads policing unit, together with the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership, will be out and about in local communities taking part in a number of initiatives.

The locations of the speeding operations will be advertised on our social media channels. We aim to get road users to think about their behaviour and stop speeding themselves, rather than catching them in the act.

Part of the campaign will also see advice and videos being published to raise awareness of how to use the roads safely this summer on various channels and targeted advertising aimed at motorcyclists.

Superintendent Mat Derrick, head of operations, said: “Fatal collisions are unexpected and traumatic events that can devastate victims, families and the local communities – but are often preventable.

“That’s why it’s so vital that we continue to educate people on the importance of road safety and continue to proactively police our roads to stop those putting fellow motorists and pedestrians at risk.

“Drivers tend to take more risks in the summer months due the weather being nicer. We want to remind road users of important safety advice as we want everyone to take personal responsibility for their own and others safety on the roads.

“Please travel within the speed limits and adjust your speed according to the conditions and hazards. Remember just a few extra miles per hour can make all the difference to your reaction, breaking distances and ultimate consequence of any collision.

“There will be young people out and about enjoying their time off school and we want to make it clear that all road users should be treated with respect. We should all pay attention to those who are most vulnerable on the roads, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists to make sure we all get home safely.

“We are also offering advice to motorcyclists due to number of fatal collisions involving them recently. It is important that they wear the appropriate gear for protection and visibility. There are also workshops available such as BikeSafe which give practical advice.”

This campaign also supports our on-going work as part of Operation Lightning, which aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the roads of Staffordshire and to disrupt and deter criminals from using the road network.

To read more about the campaign, visit: #SaferSummerRoads | Staffordshire Police

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Over 1,640 children and young people have shared their perceptions around violence, community safety, social and digital media and violence against women and girls as part of an engagement exercise led by Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services on behalf of the Violence Reduction Alliance (VRA).

The exercise has enabled the Alliance, which includes Staffordshire Police, local authorities, health, education and third sector organisations, to better understand the views and concerns of 11-25-year-olds living in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. It will also be used to help shape how the partnership can work together to improve young people’s safety and wellbeing.

Key findings from the online engagement exercise include:

• 89% of young people said they do not think it’s normal for young people to carry a knife in their home area
• 52% of young people said more CCTV would help them to feel safer
• 88% of young people reported that they generally felt safe in their home area during the day, but this reduced to 44% during hours of darkness

CEO of Staffordshire Council of Voluntary Youth Services, Phil Pusey said: “This is an important topic for young people based on the numbers responding and their desire to suggest solutions. They are clearly asking for more support to help them feel they are safe and that they are a valued part of their communities, especially at night.

“It’s critical that we provide enough of the right kind of safe places to go, positive and adventurous things to do and trusted adults such as youth workers to talk to.”

Read the full report on Young People’s Perceptions of Violence in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent here.