Road Safety Week

This year Road Safety Week is 18-24th November  2013 it is about helping to save lives – so that’s always a good thing right. Road Safety is a matter really close to my heart. If you have read my previous post about Road Safety Week  you will know that I lost my big brother to a road traffic accident when he was only 6 years old. We returned to that very road this weekend and it was even sadder because my little boy is turning 6 next week.

My brother was very unfortunate and consequently died and so I fully support the Brake Campaign Go 20 – to make residential areas a 20mph speed limit, instead of 30mph. I know I am easily annoyed, but there is nothing worse than being stuck behind a driver going way below the National Speed Limit and then speeding through the 30mph! I don’t know whether they actually think about the consequences and how a small child can end up hurt.

Parents can’t always make sure that their child doesn’t end up doing something silly – sometimes things just happen. For example, my almost 6 year old goes ahead on his bicycle (with helmet) whilst I walk behind with his younger brother; we are not as fast and he waits for me at various points along the way and knows not to cross. But last week his pedal broke off and he couldn’t control the bicycle for that split moment that it happened;  his bicycle went just a little way into the road, taking him with it – what if in that moment a speeding car had of come, he too could have ended up dead.

At 20mph you are much more easily able to brake and do something about it. Speeding is one of the most common causes of road traffic accidents, and another is driving carelessly, or in a hurry. Question is – what is so important that it cannot wait? The same is true when I am waiting at the Green man crossing with my children. Why cannot people wait? I don’t necessarily even mean when the road is quiet and there are no children around, but I see people risk taking their children across when it is busy!

As a parent you can also make sure your child knows the Green Cross Code. On the school run parents are finding it more and more difficult to park, as the pressures of family life mean that many have to take their cars to go straight off to work. This is resulting in them parking where they shouldn’t (over zig-zag lines, and even on the pavement). I feel that this makes it even more important that your child know about how to cross safely. I know I have to keep on telling my almost 6 year old not to cross between parked cars, despite explaining how he is not visible. At night time, if you take your children out on bikes, make sure they can be seen – lights and high visibility jackets.

Look out for more information about Road Safety Week as I have signed up as a campaigner. I think together we can reach far more than 1,000 people. For the sake of lives we can help save then I feel we can all make the time.