AD » Campaign

Petition launched against motorway lighting turn-off!

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:43:55 +0000

A while back the government started switching off motorway lighting at night, to save money and helpfully reduce our carbon footprint. The switch off affects some of our busiest roads, including the M1, M2, M4, M5, M6, M27 and M54. New research from Confused.com, said that the number one worry for drivers is not being able to see clearly, and under half surveyed said they feel less confident driving in the dark. A petition has been started for those who are against the great switch off.

Switching off the lights should not pose too much of a problem for drivers, who will have to drive on a great many unlit roads anyway. It would seem sensible to turn off some lights as the roads quieten down, then some more could be lost in the middle of the night, this way we could save money and keep roads safe.

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Designated drivers rewarded this Christmas!

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:19:26 +0000

Designated drivers will be rewarded in more than 8,000 pubs and student union bars across the country as part of the THINK! Christmas drink drive campaign, launched today by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. This year’s THINK! Christmas drink drive campaign will include radio advertising, posters in pub washrooms, online search activity and targeted Facebook advertising to remind drivers of the personal consequences of a drink drive conviction. THINK! have also teamed up with Coca-Cola’s Designated Driver campaign to offer drivers across the country free soft drinks at venues this Christmas as part of the Driver Friendly campaign. Drivers will be able to find participating venues using the Coca-Cola ‘Pub Finder’ tool, either online or via their smart phones. THINK! campaign activity will be aimed at young men aged 17-29, who are consistently over-represented in drink drive casualty figures. Mike Penning said: “The number of drink drive deaths has fallen by more than 75% since 1979, but drink driving is still devastating lives with around 250 people killed in collisions where a driver was over the limit last year. “Our THINK! campaign makes it clear that drivers who get behind the wheel over the limit risk losing their licence as well as facing a fine and even a prison sentence. “We are also teaming up with Coca-Cola and pub chains across the country to reward designated drivers as part of our Drive Friendly initiative, as well as reminding people of the consequences of getting a drink drive conviction. “No one wants to spend their Christmas in a police cell. My message is clear: don’t drink and drive.” Jon Woods, General Manager, Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland said: “The holiday period is coming around quickly and everyone is beginning to make their plans. With the majority of adults preparing to visit a pub or bar over the festive period we are proud to be partnering the Government’s THINK! Initiative to reward responsible drivers. Designated Drivers provide a fantastic service by helping their friends and family get home safely at the end of a night out. That’s why we think it is so important to recognise and reward them. To do this we will be offering a free Coke or Diet Coke to drivers, ensuring they have a good night too and to encourage others to do the right thing.” The THINK! drink drive campaign runs from 1 December 2011 to 1 January 2012. Designated drivers should ask at the bar about how to take advantage of the buy one, get one free offer on Coca-Cola or Diet Coke at participating venues from 9 December 2011. More

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‘Young Driver’ programme is rolled out nationwide!

Drivers urged to ‘BAG IT, BIN IT!’

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:01:10 +0000

The Highways Agency is today calling on road users to help tackle roadside litter on England’s motorways and major A roads. The Agency removed 6,700 sacks of litter from motorways in the North West in April 2011. It also collects around 240,000 sacks of litter from England’s motorways every year, and is asking road users to make sure their rubbish is responsibly disposed of. Drivers are encouraged to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicles, until it can be disposed of in a bin. Roads Minister Mike Penning said: “Litter is an unsightly and unnecessary burden and one that we can easily avoid – that’s why we are asking all road users to do something very simple to make the roads safer and more pleasant for everyone. The money and resources spent removing nearly a quarter of a million sacks of litter from England’s motorways could be much better spent elsewhere. “We have a simple ‘Bag it, Bin it!’ message: an easy way to help us reduce litter is for drivers to keep a bag in their vehicle to store rubbish, and dispose of it safely. If we all took this simple step, it would be a really positive move in tackling roadside litter.” Roadside litter is not only unsightly, but is also a threat to the environment and wildlife and can block drains and cause flooding. For highway authorities, clearing litter diverts much-needed resources away from road maintenance and repairs, while items thrown from moving vehicles can be a hazard to other road users. More

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1 in 8 fell asleep at wheel in last year!

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:05:41 +0000

It only takes seconds of sleep behind the wheel to cause a fatal crash, but research out today by Brake and Cambridge Weight Plan reveals one in eight drivers (12%) has ‘head-nodded’ at the wheel in the past year. Head-nodding occurs when someone nods off to between two and 30 seconds, often without realising that they have been asleep. The survey of 1,000 drivers also revealed risky behaviour among many that can contribute to tiredness, with one in four admitting embarking on a journey when they already felt drowsy. The vast majority (86%) are also failing to follow best practice advice on dealing with tiredness at the wheel, by stopping somewhere safe for a nap. More than a quarter (29%) put their own and others’ lives on the line by continuing their journey after they notice the first signs of drowsiness. In addition, one in seven drivers surveyed (13%) reported suffering from a health condition such as sleep apnoea that makes them tired during the day. Sleep apnoea can cause daytime sleepiness, and in some cases can cause the sufferer to fall asleep without warning. More

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Motorists discarding litter could soon be punished!

admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 22:49:24 +0000

As ministers consider changing the Localism Bill which could mean litter throwing drivers receive £80 fixed penalty notices, 81% of people agree that ‘Litterlouts’ should be punished, with more than one in three motorists (34%) wanting to see offenders receive at least three points on their driving licence according to Your Cover insurance, Allianz Insurance’s car insurance brand. A survey commissioned by Your Cover insurance reveals the depth of feeling motorists have about the issue of highway littering. The research shows: 52% said that Litterlouts made them feel angry and frustrated 37% said they felt saddened by the fact that people were so lazy and disrespectful. More

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Smoking in car worse than breathing in exhaust fumes!

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:07:55 +0000

Smoking in your car is more damaging to health than breathing in exhaust fumes, a leading doctor has claimed. Douglas Noble, a British Medical Association public health expert, made the claim as his colleagues called for tougher tobacco and alcohol controls. BMA members voted in favour of a ban on smoking while driving, more restrictions on licensing hours and introducing a minimum price of alcohol. The union hopes to use its influential position to persuade the UK Government and its counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to tighten up its licensing legislation. Those against stricter regulations say it would intrude upon people’s liberty – and labelled a ban on smoking while driving as being ‘unenforceable’. But supporters insist the measures, if implemented, would improve the nation’s health as well as saving the NHS money. More

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Police selling crash details to breakdown companies!

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 21:25:20 +0000

One police force alone made £1.3 million in just one year in “fees” that it charged to vehicle recovery companies. It was claimed that officers tip off local garages and breakdown firms who collect the cars, then charge motorists removal and storage fees. For this service the police demand a so-called “administration fee” of up to £25 per vehicle. The claim was made as Jack Straw, the former home secretary launched a campaign to expose the widespread practice of insurance companies selling the details of customers who have had accidents to “no win, no fee” claims firms. The Labour MP for Blackburn said that insurance companies sold them on for up to £1,000 per case. Injury lawyers then contact the motorists with unsolicited messages and phone calls suggesting that they pursue compensation claims. More

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MP calls for smoke ban in cars carrying children!

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:30:34 +0000

A Labour MP has called for a ban on adults smoking in cars where children are present, saying it would bring “tremendous” health benefits. Alex Cunningham said children were particularly vulnerable to the effects of passive smoking and could not “remove” themselves from cars where cigarette smoke was circulating. Parents simply exercising restraint was “not good enough”, he told MPs. But one Tory MP called the plan “over the top” and “ludicrous”. Mr Cunningham said the “science was clear” about the dangers of passive smoking and that societal attitudes had changed on the issue in the past decade – reflected by the ban on smoking in public transport, planes and taxis. Research suggested more than 300,000 children visited doctors every year with health problems associated with passive smoke, he said, while there were 20,000 new cases of asthma and wheezing among children every year. More

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Chief medical officer calls for smoking ban in cars!

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:42:33 +0000

Smoking in the homes of children and the cars they travel in should be restricted to protect them from second-hand smoke, says Wales’ top doctor. Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Tony Jewell said it was “unfair for children to bear the brunt of other people’s habits”. Wales brought in a ban on smoking in enclosed public places in April 2007. A senior environmental health officer said any legislation controlling behaviour in homes would be “despised”. In his annual report, Dr Jewell said the number of deaths from smoking in Wales is still too high at about 5,650 a year. He said smoking costs the Welsh NHS around £386m a year, equivalent to £129 per person or 7% of total healthcare expenditure. He said people “know that smoking is a dangerous habit, but choose to ignore the facts”. But children had an increased risk of asthma, middle ear infections and cot death when exposed to second-hand smoke and were then also more likely to become smokers as adults, said Dr Jewell. In his 2009 annual report to be published later, he said the proposed ban on tobacco vending machines and shop promotions for tobacco products “goes some way in addressing the problem but we must go further”. He said if the assembly government extended the ban on smoking to private cars and encouraged smoke-free policies in homes where children live, it would help to discourage children from taking up smoking themselves in later life and may help some adults to quit. More

New campaign to Bag It! Bin It! and keep roadside cleaner!

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:30:15 +0000

The Highways Agency today called on drivers to help tackle roadside litter on England’s motorways and major A roads. People responding to the Agency’s Road User Satisfaction Surveys rate keeping motorways and trunk roads free of litter as highly important. However, a recent survey revealed that nearly three quarters of road users felt it was not their responsibility to keep roads litter free. The Highways Agency’s ‘Bag It! Bin It!’ message reminds road users about the problems that litter can cause, and asks them to make sure their rubbish is properly and responsibly disposed of. Drivers are encouraged to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicles, until it can be disposed of safely in a bin. The Highways Agency estimates that the equivalent of at least 700,000 sacks of litter is removed from the motorways and other strategic roads it manages in England every year. Roadside litter is not only unsightly, but it is a threat to the environment and wildlife and can block drains and cause flooding. For highway authorities, clearing litter diverts much needed resources away from road maintenance and repairs, while items thrown from moving vehicles can be a hazard to other road users. More

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Government plans to clamp down on rogue clampers!

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:38:58 +0000

Cowboy wheel clampers will be banned from operating on private land under Government plans to end a practice which has been condemned as ‘legalised mugging’. Motoring organisations have been deluged with complaints about rogue clampers who fail to properly display parking regulations – then charge extortionate fees to free vehicles. More than 1,900 companies have the power to hit drivers for up to £800 a time to release cars left ‘too long’ in supermarket, hospital or railway station car parks. Now Ministers have drafted proposals to abolish all private clamping in England and Wales, 20 years after the practice was outlawed in Scotland. Under the Home Office plans, firms involved in the £240 million-a-year business would only be able to immobilise cars if they are contracted to do so by local authorities. Without an official council warrant, firms would be restricted to issuing parking tickets. Liberal Democrat Transport Minister Norman Baker, who is working on the plans with the Home Office, said: ‘There is an extremely strong case to ban these rogue clamping activities, and the political will now exists to make sure that it happens.’ More

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Motorist battles to prove Gatso camera don’t work in cold weather!

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:29:13 +0000

A defiant motorist has embarked on a landmark legal battle against speed cameras – after claiming that Gatso units may issue false tickets in cold weather. Andrew Fowler, 48, was flashed in Cambridge on a freezing February morning last year allegedly travelling at 41mph in a 30mph limit. But the dad-of-three, who passed the camera daily en route to work for 12 months, was sure the speedo on his silver Skoda Favorit read around 30mph. He contested the ticket and began a one-man campaign to prove it was faulty, which if successful could open the doors for thousands of drivers to challenge speeding fines. Electrical engineer Andrew now claims to have expert evidence showing that Gatsos can give false readings when the outside temperature drops below 0*C. He believes the cameras are only calibrated for accuracy between 0*C and 70*C, and at lower temperatures vital timing circuitry is slowed inside the unit. This means as he passed the camera, when the temperature was minus -5*C, the normal half-second pause between the two images used to measure speed was delayed. It would then give the impression that the car had travelled further over the white lines painted on the road used to calculate distance and give a higher speed reading. He has now taken his appeal to Cambridge Crown Court, where he hopes to push for the matter to be taken to judicial review at the High Court in London. More

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Dorset ‘red light’ protest angers motorists!

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 21:17:46 +0000

Huge lorries usually thunder through the ancient streets of Chideock, snorting out pollution and shaking the centuries-old homes to their foundations. But at the touch of a button, one man has managed to bring them to a screeching halt. Tony Fuller, 77, is doing his best to disrupt the heavy traffic that he says blights his village on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast. As part of his campaign for a bypass, the retired Rolls-Royce engineer has organised a group of residents to gather at a newly installed pedestrian crossing – and take it in turns to push the button. Each time the traffic lights go red, they slowly walk across the busy A35 wielding banners explaining their protest. And when the lights turn green, they push the button and do it all over again. After their first 45-minute spell, gridlock ensued, and motorists were left stuck in up to seven miles of tailbacks. Yesterday Mr Fuller said: ‘I’ve been on the receiving end of one or two choice words and had a few one-finger salutes, but equally quite a few people toot their horns and give us the thumbs up. ‘To any motorist who has been inconvenienced for a few minutes in a queue of traffic I would say, I’m inconvenienced 24/7. ‘What we have here is a country road that’s never grown up. It’s like living with a motorway 6ft from your front door, but not as safe as if it was a motorway because there are no barriers. It’s horrendous.’ He says lorry drivers are using the road as ‘rat run’ between Plymouth and Southampton and blames satellite navigation systems that direct trucks along the A35 as an alternative to the A303. More

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Britain’s roads ‘plagued by pointless signs’!

admin — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:18:11 +0000

Language campaigners said today too many pointless signs were springing up next to Britain’s roads. The Plain English Campaign (PEC) – which aims to reduce gobbledegook – said roadsides were filling up with “too much information about nothing”. Officials said drivers were being distracted and money wasted. The group made its complaints as the Highways Agency, a Government agency which manages major roads, said it had decided against planting signs saying “Highways Agency” next to motorways across the country – after spending £76,000 of taxpayers’ money on a “pilot project” in the north west of England. A Highways Agency spokesman said 23 “Highways Agency” signs had been installed alongside the M6 and 11 alongside the A66 in 2005 as part of an experiment. “Police constantly tell motorists not to use mobiles or eat or drink when driving but to concentrate on driving,” said a PEC spokesman. “Yet at the same time there seem to be more and more signs springing up to distract motorists. More

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New Young drivers film shows dangers of peer pressure!

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:17:00 +0000

A short film illustrating the dangers young drivers face when subject to peer pressure has gone live on the web. The film is the next stage of the Drive SMART initiative, launched by Surrey County Council and Surrey Police to tackle anti-social driving. The film shows how easy it is for a young driver, coerced by friends, to take unnecessary risks at dangerous speeds on the road – with devastating consequences. In a clear challenge to young drivers it asks: ‘Can you stand up to your mates?’ and urges them to ‘Be strong’. Dr Andrew Povey, leader of Surrey County Council, said: “Young drivers are particularly vulnerable on the road and putting a film about road safety on the internet is one way of encouraging them to take more care. More

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Road safety charity calls for specific drug-driving offence!

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:56:36 +0000

Road safety charity Brake has renewed its call for a specific charge of drug-driving in the wake of the “shockingly low” conviction rates revealed in new crime figures. It is demanding that the Government makes it an offence to drive with illegal drugs in the body, allowing the police and the justice system to effectively target the “scourge” of drug-driving – something it says may now be as significant as alcohol-related motoring offences. According to the statistics from the Ministry of Justice there were 1,644 convictions in England and Wales for drug-related motoring offences in 2008. This compares to 71,449 for drink-related offences – the vast majority of which relate to the specific charge of ‘driving with alcohol in the blood above the prescribed limit’, for which there is no drug-driving equivalent. Although drug-driving is illegal, there are no prescribed ‘limits’, meaning the prosecution must prove that a motorist was ‘unfit to drive’ through the use of drugs. Brake argues that this is more difficult than being able to refer to the “simple statistical fact” that a test would offer. It says that the Government must approve kits that would enable police to carry out roadside tests on motorists suspected of drug-driving. More

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Avon and Somerset Police unveil drink drive weapon!

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:48:20 +0000

Avon and Somerset Police have unveiled their new weapon against drink driving – a simulator which shows what effect alcohol has on your driving skill. Over Christmas, the police caught more than 200 people who had been drinking. Now they’re stepping up their efforts to target young people in particular. More

‘Young Driver’ programme is rolled out nationwide!

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:49:56 +0000

Following a successful pilot, the ‘Young Driver’ programme by Admiral Mulitcar and Seat UK is to be launched nationwide. The organisers believe that the programme, which is designed to help teach 11-16 year-olds how to drive carefully, will significantly reduce crashes and save lives. Young Driver teaches youngsters to drive dual-controlled cars in a safe and environment. Using 200 new SEAT Ibiza models and specially designed driving zones, the organisers say the experience has been a ‘massive hit’ with young drivers and parents. Lessons start at £29. Young Driver operates with approved driving instructors (ADIs) and sessions are available to children over 1.5 metres (4’ 11”) tall, between the ages of 11 and 16. The scheme is offered in 30 or 60-minute lessons during weekends and school holidays. After the first lesson, participants are given a Drive Diary filled in by their instructor. This allows pupils, parents and instructors to chart individual progress and focus on new skills. More

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New Seat belts advert shows deadly consequences of not belting up!

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:33:57 +0000

A hard-hitting THINK! campaign reminding drivers of the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt was launched today by Road Safety Minister Paul Clark. The £1.3 million campaign shows that if you have a crash without wearing a seat belt you actually experience three crashes, even at everyday speeds like 30mph. First, your car crashes and stops. Second – because there’s nothing to stop you moving – your body carries on and hits the inside of the car. Third, you stop but your internal organs keep moving, hitting the inside of your body and can rupture under the force of the impact. Paul Clark said: “If you are involved in an accident while not wearing a seat belt then your body experiences a series of three collisions damaging vital internal organs. This campaign reminds drivers that – no matter how short their journey or how slowly they are driving – they are risking their life if they set off without putting their seat belt on. “I hope this campaign will help everyone realise that they need to belt up every time they get in a car.” You are twice as likely to die in a crash if you are not wearing a seat belt and about one life could be saved in Britain each day if everyone always wore a belt. The THINK! campaign – which includes television, radio, cinema, and outdoor advertising – is based on detailed research into people’s seat belt wearing habits which showed that people are less likely to wear seat beats on low speed, short journeys on familiar roads, even though they are still risking their lives in these cases. The advert is so realistic and graphic it can only be shown after 9pm. An edited version will be used for earlier showings – describing but not showing the damage to internal organs. More

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Safer roads partnership launches different approach for seat belt campaign!

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:29:15 +0000

The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership has launched a new campaign addressing the issue of seat belt use. ‘Embrace Life’ takes what the Partnership calls a ‘very different approach to conventional road safety advertising’, by focusing on positive imaging and messages rather than the direct consequences of a collision. Neil Hopkins, communications manager, says: “Embrace Life deals with the non-wearing of seatbelts by drivers and passengers, which continues to be an issue in Sussex and across the United Kingdom and EU, despite many years of high profile campaigning. “Sussex Police stop thousands of drivers every year for failing to restrain themselves or their passengers properly. “Our cinema advert has provoked a strong emotional response in all who have seen it. We have achieved this through a strong emphasis on positive messaging and imagery, rather than relying on shock tactics.” More

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Drivers urged to check effects of medicines!

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:27:27 +0000

Drivers will be warned about the potential effects of medicines in a new THINK! campaign launched by Road Safety Minister Paul Clark today. One million leaflets will be distributed through 2,600 Boots stores while medicine bags will be labelled with stickers prompting drivers to check with their doctor or pharmacist that they are safe to drive while taking their medicines. This follows a major TV, radio and online campaign in August 2009 to target the irresponsible minority who drive while under the influence of illegal drugs. Paul Clark said: “We have already run a hard-hitting campaign to tackle those who drive after taking illegal drugs. But it is not just illegal drugs which can affect your driving. Some medicines may cause drowsiness and impair judgement, increasing the risk of an accident. More

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New campaign warns drivers of the consequences of speeding!

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:39:19 +0000

A £1.4m THINK! campaign to highlight the devastating consequences of speeding for drivers as well as victims starts today. The campaign’s message is that if you kill someone while speeding you will be tormented by it forever. In the television advert a driver is haunted by images of the child he has killed – seeing his body in the bathroom mirror, through the window of a bus and when in the park with his son. Paul Clark, Road Safety Minister, said: “Speed kills. Nearly 600 people were killed in 2008 in accidents where someone was driving too fast. “This campaign highlights the consequences of speeding for the driver involved: what is life like for the driver who kills because they are in a rush to get home and how does that split second decision affect the rest of their life? I hope this campaign will get drivers to kill their speed before it’s too late.” The THINK! campaign – ‘Kill your speed, or live with it’ – includes TV, radio, and cinema advertising. The radio adverts – ‘Always There’ – feature a chilling message from ‘beyond the grave’. Children’s voices describe what life is like for the driver who killed them while speeding several years ago. The drivers cannot sleep, watch a football match or spend time with their own children without thinking of the dead child. More

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Lewis Hamilton backs road safety scheme for school children!

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:48:25 +0000

A road safety campaign for school children has been launched in Surrey by motor racing star Lewis Hamilton. The educational scheme for pupils aged 14 to 18 will offer hands-on driving experience and training. Pupils will also have discussions about the responsibilities of being not only a driver, but also a passenger and a pedestrian. It was developed by council, fire and police officers, with the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy in Weybridge. Former Formula One world champion Hamilton launched the scheme on Sunday. He said “It’s a great thing for young kids to come here and at least raise awareness.” And he added: “Hopefully, they’ll come here and they’ll walk away with a little bit more knowledge which will equip them even better for when they take their own driving lessons and tests.” County council leader Andrew Povey said: “School children are the drivers of the future so it is vital we educate them now about the importance of responsible driving.” More

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New drink-driving campaign launched!

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:06:30 +0000

And deputy chief constable for North Yorkshire Police Adam Briggs said it was “only a matter of time” before lawbreakers were caught and punished. Last year, the one-month campaign saw officers across England and Wales stop 183,397 drivers – a figure which the force is determined to top in 2009. Mr Briggs, the national lead on road policing, also warned Christmas partygoers to think before driving the morning after a big night out. He said: “Many people think they have to be involved in a collision or commit an offence to be stopped and breathalysed. This is not the case and our aim is to test more drivers than ever before during this campaign.” The Christmas campaign, in which drivers will be tested for alcohol and illegal drugs, runs throughout December until January 1. More

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Campaign to promote awareness of deer on the roads!

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:01:29 +0000

Highways Agency highlights the dangers to deer and road users during autumn and the following spring. Up to 74,000 collisions between vehicles and deer happen on UK roads each year, figures from the Highways Agency show. Most deer are killed but thousands are left to die of injuries and the worst times of year are coming up; autumn and spring, especially around dawn and dusk. The Agency reports that each year people are killed and injured in road collisions with wild deer, and there have been over 1,000 deer-vehicle collisions recorded since September 2007 on the motorway and A-road network alone. More

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