Help make roads safer, say police

POLICE are urging residents to join together to help make Cheshire’s roads safer.
Following the conclusion of National Roads Victims Month – a period to reflect and remember victims of fatal collisions across the UK – police asking residents to think about what they could do differently to help improve road safety.
Superintendent Martin Cleworth said: “One death on our roads is one too many and we are committed to doing everything we can to make our roads safer. However, this is not something that the police can tackle alone; everyone has a role to play.
“Whether that’s making sure that you stick to the speed limit or waiting until you get home before you make that phone call. You could also consider becoming a member of one of local community speed watch groups. There are many ways you can contribute to road safety”
One tool to tackle bad driving is a recently launched section on the Cheshire Police website which allows members of the public to submit video footage from dashcams online.
This was launched at the end of May and since then the Force has already received 86 submissions for a variety of driving offences including; motorists jumping red lights and people driving whilst using mobile phones.
Superintendent Cleworth added: “In the current age, more people than ever before now have cameras fitted to their vehicles and helmets, potentially capturing footage of people committing traffic offences.
“Previously the only way for people to submit this footage was by calling us and arranging to have the footage collected and then providing a written statement.
“The new process is much simpler and people can now go online, complete a simple form and upload the footage. This will then come through to us and we can assess whether an offence has been committed and determine what action is appropriate.”
Police and Commissioner David Keane said: “One of my key policing priorities for Cheshire is to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour. Criminality and dangerous behaviour on our roads affects us all and it is great to hear about some of the proactive work that the force is undertaking to improve road safety.
“Throughout National Roads Victims month we focused on the devastating impact that fatal and serious collisions have on the victims and their families and whilst I acknowledge the tremendous work undertaken by our dedicated roads policing team, it’s a sad fact that many of these tragedies could be avoided if road users paid more attention to the road and obeyed all of the laws that are in place.
“That is why I’m encouraging all road users to play their part. I’m committed to making our roads safer and together we can all help to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Cheshire’s roads.”
To find out more about how to submit video footage or to see if there is an active Speed Watch group in your area visit www.cheshire.police.uk.