25.06.10 Meet the Streets – The Streets are a typical but fictional family living in Gloucestershire.

92 year old Mabel is the oldest surviving family member, and Ben is the youngest, aged just 9 months. We are using the Streets family to demonstrate how road safety can impact on everyone – at any stage of their life.

The stories link to other areas of our website, profiling some of the training courses that we offer, the campaigns that we run, our involvement with the community and so on. Click here to see more of the Streets

25.06.10  Gloucestershire County Council’s Chief Executive will be proving that even confident and experienced cyclists can benefit from brushing up on their cycling skills.

Pete Bungard, a keen and regular cyclist will be receiving some adult cycle training from the Partnership’s Cycling Coordinator, Don Muir. Joining Pete and Don will be less experienced cyclist, Sheila Corkett, head of the Road Safety Partnership.

Don has seven rules for safer cycling, these are:

1. Be responsible for your own safety
2. Use a good road position
3. Be aware of what is happening all around you
4. Communicate effectively with other road users
5. Think before you filter
6. Follow the laws that apply to you
7. Cover your brakes.

The Road Safety Partnership offers adult cycle training on a one-to-one basis. Other providers are available. Contact us for more information.

24.06.10  Just over half way through the summer drink drive campaign Gloucestershire Police have arrested 24 people for drink driving. The Road Safety Partnership, which includes Gloucestershire Police, launched the campaign on 1st June to appeal to drivers to make proper plans for getting home safely, particularly after watching the football world cup games.

Inspector Keith Fagan said; “The consequences of being caught drink driving can be severe, as each of the drivers we charge with drink driving during the campaign will soon find out. We would advise anyone planning on driving not to drink any alcohol at all, as research shows that even one drink can impair your driving – motorists just shouldn’t take the risk.

“If you are going out for a drink this summer then plan ahead to make sure you can get home safely and without having to drive yourself. Take simple steps such as booking a taxi, having a designated driver in your group of friends, or arranging overnight accommodation. I would also urge the public not to get into a vehicle if you think the driver has been drinking.”

Garry Handley OBE

16.06.10  Gloucestershire’s longest serving road safety officer, has been awarded the OBE for services to local government.

Garry Handley has worked for the County Council for 27 years, and currently manages a range of services aimed at reducing the number of collisions involving drivers, such as the Driver Improvement Scheme, Drink Drive Rehabilitation, Speed Awareness, and many others.

Career highlights have included developing SAGE (Safer Driving with Age Scheme) which has been adopted by many other local authorities around the country; lecturing at the World Driver Training Conference, facilitating a multi-national army road safety scheme in Pristina City, Kosovo which won an International Road Safety Award, and being highly commended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent for his outstanding contribution to road safety.

Garry said, “When I came to Gloucestershire in 1983, 1,324 people were killed or seriously injured on our roads, and last year that figure was 236. That’s over 1,000 people less being killed or seriously injured each year. Being a small part of this incredible reduction in the number of people being hurt on our roads is an ample reward in itself.

“When I was told that her Majesty the Queen was to approve my appointment as an Officer of the British Empire I was totally speechless and it was absolutely out of the blue. It honestly took my breath away. It is a huge honour for me to have my work recognised in this way and I will graciously accept it with humility and pride”.

Pete Bungard, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council said, “I can’t think of a single individual who has made a greater impact on the safety of our roads than Garry. This business is so much about changing the behaviour of people and Garry’s style and passion is capable of engaging almost any individual, very quickly, and with a lasting impression.”

11.06.10 Year 7 and Year 9 pupils from St Peter’s School in Gloucester have been learning about the effects that speeding and alcohol can have on driving. As well as receiving presentations on in-car safety and pedestrian safety, pupils got to check their reaction times, hold speed checks, and even wear a pair of special booze googles to simulate impairment through drink and drugs.

The event was hosted by Gloucester South Police Safer Community Team, and road safety officers Rosemary Bailey and Sarah Laming who attended the two day event said, “we were able to speak with over 250 pupils about the issue they currently face and the issues they will face as they become the drivers of the future. It was a very worthwhile event.”

[ a: overtime in which play is stopped as soon as one contestant scores ]
[ b: a possible outcome of drink driving ]

With the start of the football World Cup less than two weeks away, Gloucestershire drivers are being asked to think about the consequences of drinking and driving during the tournament.

Today the Partnership launched its appeal to drivers to make proper plans for getting home safely, particularly after watching the football in pubs and clubs.

The campaign highlights the potentially fatal consequences of drinking and driving as well as the impact it has on drivers if they’re caught. See http://www.whyriskit.org.uk/

Reminders will be displayed in pubs and clubs, out on the high street, and on billboards and the radio. Neighbourhood policing teams and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships will be helping to distribute posters and stickers to supermarkets and convenience stores.

Cheltenham Town FC Community Coaches Abbie Sadler 21, and Mark Harrison 23, helped to launch the campaign this morning by taking the booze goggles challenge. Abbie donned the special goggles, which simulate visual impairment through drink and/or drugs, and attempted to complete a Field Impairment Test which includes simple tests like walking in a straight line and touching your nose. Easier said than done as these photos prove.