MEN wrote:
End this carnage
Dean Kirby
10/11/2008
THE M.E.N. today launches a campaign to cut the shocking toll of death on the roads of Greater Manchester.
Nearly 50 people have lost their lives in crashes so far this year and more than 560 have been injured. While knife crime dominates the headlines, there have been five times more road deaths than fatal stabbings.
But they have speed cameras...
Quote:
We are launching a major campaign in support of national Road Safety Week to cut the number of people losing their lives in car crashes.
All this week we will call on individuals, companies, schools, community groups, local councils and the government to work even harder to reduce the death toll.
Families of victims and road safety groups will also join us to urge people to take more care at the wheel.
Cathy Keeler, deputy chief executive of Brake, the road safety charity, said: "People simply think that it will not happen to them. But behind every road death statistic and every newspaper story, there are families and communities devastated by the loss of a loved one.
Heartbreaking
"Road death is heartbreaking for families and communities, but it is preventable. Brake urges everyone to change their behaviour on roads for the better to stop it happening to them or someone they love.”
The shocking death toll this year includes Pc Christopher Hart, 40, who died when his police van crashed in January, and pensioner John MacNab, 75, who died crossing a road in Bramhall, Stockport, in August.
The Mad Doc posted up both of these stories from the MEN to this site. The inquest into the police van driver's death indicated driver error on HIS part.. und the pensioner was the victim of a Hit/Run.
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Gary Proctor, 47, and his son James, 16, also died in August after their Fiat Punto was in a crash with another car on the M62 near Birch services.
And Sienna Jade O’Hara, aged two, was killed after she was in an accident with a car as it reversed out of a drive in June.
But driver errors in COAST skills .. und NOT speeding
It why COAST should be the main message if aiming to change driver behaviour und cyclist behaviour ...with Green Cross as basic mainstay of any road safety campaign.
Ms Delaney does say one thing I think all can agree with,.. I put in bold
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Karen Delaney from Drivesafe, Greater Manchester’s joint road safety team, said: “Every day people are seriously injured or killed on the roads of Greater Manchester.
“Road casualty statistics are slowly reducing, but one death is one too many.
“So whether you are a driver, a pedestrian or a cyclist, you have to respect all other road users. We hope that this message gets home and makes everyone more aware that their actions could not only affect themselves, but have a huge impact on others.”
Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership also backed our campaign.
Project manager Lee Murphy said: “We need to see the roads as a privilege rather than a right.
“Campaigns like Road Safety Week are so important to ensure that road safety stays on the public radar, although it could be argued that road safety should never be off the radar.”