Help keep Cheshire's roads safe

Cheshire Police is appealing to those who travel to work on the roads to drive carefully and help keep Cheshire's roads safe.

As part of a national week of action (Monday 14 – Sunday 20 September) Project EDWARD will see officers in Cheshire targeting those who drive for work across the county in a bid to keep them, and other road users, safe on the roads.

The Project EDWARD week of action seeks to show that we are all more vulnerable than we think, but that anyone with the right approach, access to good training, a commitment to regular vehicle checks and appropriate employer support can significantly reduce the likelihood of being hurt on the road.

Government figures show that in 2018 there were approximately 42,000 road deaths and injuries involving someone who was driving for work at the time. However, it is rarely the driver who is the casualty. 82 per cent of those deaths and injuries were other, often vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Officers will be targeting hot spot areas, including motorways, to provide a visible presence across the county where there are high volumes of traffic.

Officers will stop drivers they believe are committing one of the Fatal 5 offences (careless driving, speeding, drink/drug driving, using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing a seatbelt) to engage and educate motorists, and where necessary enforce the law. When stopping vehicles officers will intervene if vehicles are unsafe.

Inspector for Cheshire Police’s Roads and Crime Unit, Anton Sullivan, 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.

“This week of action is an ideal opportunity to educate those who drive for work on how to drive safely to help keep people safe on the road and prevent any tragedies from occurring.

“Statistics show that more people are losing their lives on our roads as a result of careless driving and by taking the time to educate road users could be the difference between a safe journey and one that ends in a fatality.

“So if you spend a lot of time on the roads driving for work, think before you overtake and make sure it is safe to do so, concentrate when pulling out of a junction, look out for cyclists and motorcyclists, leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front and drive appropriately for the road and weather conditions. I promise you, it’s not worth dying for…”

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. It is vitally important that the public are educated on the consequences their driving can have if they drive recklessly.

“There has been too many tragic deaths and serious injuries sustained on Cheshire’s roads as a result of careless driving and I am pleased the Constabulary are using this week of action to educate the public and where appropriate enforce the laws of the road, to make the roads safer for us all.”