Online Video Released by Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership Highlights ‘Fatal Four’
In a bid to reduce the amount of road collisions and car accidents in the UK, Bedfordshire Police together with First Car, and supported by Bill Plant Driving School, have released a touching and hard hitting online video.
The video highlights the moment a Police Officer knocks on a door after a fatal road crash to inform the family of the incident. It talks about the ‘fatal four’ – four main reasons that road collisions happen in the UK. This includes speeding, using a mobile phone while driving, drink and drug driving and failing to wear a seatbelt.
We encourage all our clients to watch and share this video, as it could really make a difference when choosing how you drive on the road, or even how your family members and friends choose to drive on the road.
Drink and Drug Driving
The drink drive limit is the same for England, Northern Ireland and Wales but is different in Scotland. The current limit in England is:
35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath (the 'breath limit')
80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of blood (the 'blood limit')
107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of urine (the 'urine limit')
And in Scotland:
22 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath (the 'breath limit')
50 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of blood (the 'blood limit')
67 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of urine (the 'urine limit')
You must be very careful when it comes to alcohol and driving, as alcohol affects people in different ways. Drinking alcohol slows down the mind and body’s responses, making it harder to react behind the wheel. So, instead of driving yourself, why not have a designated driver, call a taxi, drink no-alcohol beers or even go teetotal for the night.
Speeding
Keeping our roads safe is a real priority, so in efforts to reduce the number of accidents in the UK, the Government introduced new rules surrounding speeding penalties in 2017. For the latest speed fines and charges, view the table on the link. Currently, the minimum fine for speeding is £100 and three points on your license. But speeding just by a few miles an hour over the limit can make all the difference in a road traffic accident. It is important to keep an eye on your speed and drive for the conditions of the road – remember: the speed limit is not a target!
Phone Use When Driving
It is not just speeding fines that have seen a change in law, with punishment for mobile phone usage mounting to £200 and six points on a license for anyone caught breaking the law. This is double what it once was. The slightest distraction from driving by looking down at your phone has been known to cause some major road accidents and deaths. Put simply – it just IS NOT WORTH IT.
Not wearing a seatbelt
The rules are simple: A seat belt must be worn by the driver and all passengers in the vehicle, and seat belts must be worn individually – sharing seat belts is not allowed. Well-fitted and appropriate child seats should be purchased and fitted correctly. When it comes to dogs in the car, the Highway Code says drivers need to “make sure that dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so that they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves if you stop too quickly.”
Ultimately, these are all things that are easily avoided. If we all do our part, then the chances of road accidents reduces dramatically.
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