As school holidays kick off – they began on Friday – there will be more people out on the roads driving, and more pedestrians, some of them young children, so safe driving and taking care is paramount.
Royal Automobile Association’s Senior Manager of Road Safety, Charles Mountain, says there are five main issues when it comes to unsafe driving.
- Distraction(including mobile phones)
- Speed
- Dangerous road users
- Not wearing a seatbelt
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
“Everyone knows someone who might check their phone while driving, creep over the speed limit or be guilty of one of the Fatal 5,” Mr Mountain says.
“We want people to understand that any of these behaviours dramatically increase the risk of a crash.
“Ensuring that everyone in the vehicle is properly secured with a seatbelt or child restraint can be the difference between walking away from a crash and sustaining serious injuries or loss of life.
“Crash statistics show inattention is a contributing factor in at least a third of fatal or serious injury crashes, and excessive speed in more than a quarter.
“If we can work to change these behaviours, we can significantly reduce the number of families being torn apart by road crashes each year.
“With the 2023 road toll spiralling, it’s time to ask ourselves if we’ve been complacent when sharing the road with others lately, and to realise just how the tragic consequences of this behaviour can be.”
So the clear message is, pay attention and don’t do any of the Fatal 5.
