With many cars recorded going over 50mph (and in one recent case more than 60mph) through our 30mph village speed limits, the need to encourage safer driving through our village centres is beyond question. The community Speedwatch volunteers in Rushlake Green and Bodle Street Green have recorded over 1,300 vehicles exceeding the speed limit in just 7 months. The statistics show that the vast majority of those sent a warning are unlikely to re-offend, so local action really does help to encourage more responsible driving.
For anyone who thinks this is just do-gooding, here are the facts from a publication by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents:
In 2015, 217 people were killed in crashes involving someone exceeding the speed limit and a further 132 people died when someone was travelling too fast for the conditions. Around two-thirds of crashes in which people are killed or injured occur on roads with a speed limit of 30 mph or less. At 30mph, vehicles are travelling at 44 feet (about 3 car lengths) each second. Even in good conditions, the difference in stopping distance between 30 mph and 35 mph is an extra 21 feet or 6.4 metres, more than 2 car lengths.*
So encouraging people to slow down really could save a life or a serious injury.
The local Speedwatch teams are always looking for new volunteers. If you’re interested, getting involved is very easy. All volunteers are provided with training (online) and a short roadside introduction to the equipment. All the Speedwatch sessions are run within very clear guidelines about location, timing, operation etc. And although there are a number of sessions most weeks, volunteers are generally only asked to do a session once every couple of weeks or so – but can obviously do as many as they wish depending on how keen they are.
If you’d like to help encourage safer driving through Rushlake Green or Bodle Street Green please email rushlakegreenvillage@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to pass your details on to the Speedwatch organisers.
*ROSPA Road Safety Fact Sheet June 2018
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