Cheshire’s emergency services are calling for road users to “Step up for Safe Streets

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and Cheshire Police are calling for road users to “Step up for Safe Streets” as part of Road Safety Week.

The week, organised by (road safety charity) Brake, is an annual event and the biggest road safety awareness event in the UK.

Road Safety Week runs from Monday 18 – Sunday 24 November with the theme this year calling for road users to “Step up for Safe Streets” - encouraging them to learn about and shout about solutions, such as using public transport, cycling or walking that will allow us all to travel on our roads safely, every day.

The campaign comes two months after Cheshire’s emergency services released a harrowing road safety video which detailed the consequences a fatal collision can have, not only on the driver, but all those subsequently involved.

Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on a British road, and more than twice the number of people died on Cheshire’s roads in 2018 in comparison to 2017.

To tackle this increase, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and Cheshire Police road safety experts are joining forces to support the national campaign and urge road users to “Step up for Safe Streets” to save lives.

Andy Gray, Road Safety Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This year, we are encouraging road users to learn about and shout about solutions that allow us all to travel on our roads safely. Statistics show that more people are losing their lives on our roads as a result of careless driving. Road safety education is so important and we will be shouting about how to stay safe as part of the campaign - as it could be the difference between a safe journey and one that ends in a fatality.

“Firefighters are hosting events across the county to inform the public of the campaign and encouraging them to travel safely. They will be encouraging the public to only use the car if necessary – as well as reducing the number of road casualties, public transport, walking and cycling are also much better for the environment and for your health.”

Superintendent Jo Marshall-Bell, Head of Cheshire Police’s Roads and Crime Unit, said: “Road safety is a critical issue for all communities. Most have been affected at some point by injury or death caused by road traffic collisions, and all will have experienced risks using the roads.

“Road Safety Week is an ideal opportunity to get local people to support us to work towards safe and sustainable travel for everyone. While it is absolutely necessary that officers are out enforcing the laws of the road, it’s also about educating road users on how to drive safely, and we will be working closely with our Cheshire Road Safety Group colleagues to help prevent further tragedies from occurring.”

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, David Keane said: “Making our roads safer is one of my key priorities and something I am constantly campaigning for to make Cheshire safer.

“There has been too many tragic deaths and serious injuries sustained on Cheshire’s roads over the last year as a result of certain driving behaviours which are more likely to cause collisions.

“That’s why it’s vitally important that Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service work with motorists to educate them of these behaviours, known at the Fatal 5, so they can drive more safely.”