News & events

Minority continues to drink and drive at Christmas

Figures published by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) show that three per cent of drivers breath tested during a month-long campaign during the festive period were over the limit.

223,423 drivers were tested, 22 per cent more than last year.

Driving under the influence of prescription drugs

The Road Safety Minister launched a new THINK! campaign warning drivers about the potential effects of taking medicines, including drowsiness and impaired judgement.

Leaflets will be distributed through 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.

The campaign follows a major TV, radio and online campaign launched in August 2009 to target the irresponsible minority who drive while under the influence of illegal drugs.

Cycle helmets not to be made compulsory

The DfT indicated that it had no plans to make it mandatory for cyclists to wear a helmet despite recent research suggesting that wearing a helmet could cut cyclist fatalities by 10 to 16%.

A DfT spokeswoman said that the research confirms that cycle helmets can help protect cyclists in the event of a collision, which "is why we encourage cyclists, especially children, to wear helmets".

But because of the practicalities of enforcement, particularly among children, as well as the possible impact on levels of cycling, "we are not persuaded that making helmets mandatory is the right option".

Speed campaign revisited

The Road Safety Minister launched a TV, radio and cinema THINK! campaign to highlight the devastating consequences of speeding for drivers as well as victims. The campaign's message is that if you kill someone while speeding you will be tormented by it forever.

The Minister said that the campaign shows what life is like for the driver who kills because they are in a rush to get home, and how that split second decision affects the rest of their life.

Collisions involving cyclists and HGVs

The most common cause of cyclist fatalities in London involves collisions between left-turning large vehicles and cyclists, according to analysis by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) commissioned by Transport for London.

TRL believes that side guards on lorries, to prevent cyclists falling under the rear wheels, might have prevented some of the fatalities. It was reported at a TfL board meeting that the Mayor had written to the Transport Secretary urging him to revoke the exemption for construction vehicles to have side guards fitted.

Average speed cameras to be used on major urban route

Transport for London announced that it is introducing the first location in the UK where average speed cameras will enforce the speed limit along a major urban road.

New cameras will be installed on a 12km stretch of the A13 between Canning Town and the Goresbrook Interchange where the collision rate is almost a fifth higher than is typical of major roads in London, with a high level of speed-related collisions.

The new system is expected to halve the number of people killed or seriously injured along the road and improve traffic flow when it goes live this summer.