RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
February 26, 2004
SEEKING WAYS TO SAVE VULNERABLE ROAD USERS
Ways of protecting the UK’s most vulnerable road users will be tackled at a national conference organised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents next week.
Experts will be discussing how to reduce the risk to children – whether travelling on foot, bicycle or in cars - pedestrians, pedal cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders. These groups make up about a quarter of road casualties, but account for almost half of the fatalities.
RoSPA’s National Road Safety Congress, in association with Britax, will be held at Cardiff City Hall from Monday to Wednesday (March 1-3). Cardiff City Council and the Welsh Assembly Government have given their support.
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety, said: “Much of the recent road safety debate has concentrated on speed, but this conference will be an opportunity to consider the victims of poor driving and irresponsible behaviour on our roads.
“School age children are more at risk on our roads than anywhere else, motorcycle fatalities are on the rise and more people are being encouraged to cycle and walk. We must do all we can to protect them.”
The programme includes speakers on motorcycle training, improving vehicle design, better methods of fitting child car seats, road safety education, horse rider safety and developing cycle training. There will also be reports on pedestrian and cyclist training for groups of adults with learning difficulties and road safety training for young wheelchair users.
The work of the Children’s Traffic Club will be featured as well as the Roadie Club. Roadie is Cardiff City Council’s friendly car-driving robot who tours infant and primary school giving road safety lessons. He will be featured in the congress exhibition.
The full programme can be found at http://www.rospa.com/road
Of 34,689 children under 16 injured on Britain’s roads in 2002, 4,596 were killed or seriously injured; pedestrians - 38,784 injured, 8,631 KSI; pedal cyclists - 17,107 injured, 2,450 KSI; motorcyclists - 21,901 injured, 6,246 KSI; horse riders 143 injured, 23 seriously injured.
