'NO EXCUSE' FOR POOR DRIVING

The ‘no excuse’ road safety campaign launched on Wednesday 11th January and saw Essex Casualty Reduction Board (ECRB) partners targeting motorists who were driving poorly in and around Chelmsford.

Police, Fire and Road Safety Officers were at locations around the town all day to talk to people, share road safety advice and explain how the campaign will work towards reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads.
‘no excuse’ brings together police enforcement and road safety education to target routes and towns where crashes and casualties are known to occur. Chelmsford is the first in a series of events, known as Surround a Town (SAT) days, which combines police enforcement, speedwatch events at schools, community speedwatch groups, pedestrian training, re-education for offenders and child car seat checks.
 
Over the coming months ECRB partners will be running overt and covert enforcement operations and events, such as SAT days, all over Essex. These events will target key poor driving behaviours including speeding, drink driving, the use of handheld mobile phones whilst driving and drivers and passengers who do not wear seatbelts. 
 
The Surround a Town initiative in Chelmsford included:
·     Police enforcement at Galleywood Common (Stock Road), British Legion (New London Road), Community Centre (Broomfield Road) and Boreham Services
·     Education in Chelmsford Town Centre
·     Speedwatch events, pedestrian training and educational theatre at Bishops School, Broomfield Primary School, Margaretting School, Lawford Mead School, Moulsham Junior School and Chancellor Park Primary School
·     Child car seat checks at Essex County Cricket Club
·     Education at Sunflower Childrens Centre, Broomfield Library
·     Re-education for seatbelt offenders at Essex County Cricket Club

For one day only, all seatbelt offenders were given the option to attend a half hour education session at Essex County Cricket Ground. This session, run by road safety officers, explained the consequences of poor driving behaviour and after successful completion the offenders had their fixed penalty notice nullified.  A total of 32 offenders took up this option on the day.

A Summary of results from the event :

Seat belts offences : 56
Mobile phone offences : 26
Prohibitions : 2
Seized vehicles : 10
No MOT : 19
Other offences : 20

1 van load of beer seized by customs.

1 Arrest for making off without paying for Petrol.
2 Arrests for Burglary.

County Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation at Essex County Council and Chairman of the Essex Casualty Reduction Board :

“Today I have been very impressed by the level of enforcement and education activity from all of the ECRB partners and their dedication to reducing collisions in Essex. 2011 saw killed or seriously injured casualties reduce by 10% and I hope this campaign will help to achieve a further reduction in 2012 and beyond.

“Events like this give us the opportunity to talk to drivers about the most common causes of accidents and make them aware of their driving behaviour. Whilst some drivers continue to put themselves and others at risk we will continue to target those individuals and work to make our roads safer.

“We all have a part to play in this campaign and I hope that the ECRB can count on support from drivers in achieving safer roads for everyone in Essex. Remember, there’s no excuse for poor driving.”