PCC's approach to road safety
Priority:
The Roads Safety Strategy and action plan supports the PCC’s and Chief Constable’s shared vision for ‘Safe, Resilient and Connected Communities’, connecting communities and policing together, in order to deliver our local policing promise to ensure that policing is Accessible, Responsive, Informative and Supportive.
What we said:
The PCC pledged to work with the Chief Constable to enhance road safety initiatives and create more opportunities for the public to support road safety initiatives. The Commissioner is a staunch advocate of Community Speedwatch but recognised the scheme was in need of an overhaul in particular around the way in which volunteers were supported.
The OPCC will use its reach and connections to promote and support road safety campaigns across the peninsula. The PCC will work with others and harness the power of social media to raise awareness in order to change risky behaviours amongst road users.
The Commissioner will use her position to engage with Government to call for improvements to road safety laws and policies where necessary.
What we did:
The OPCC has supported Devon and Cornwall Police to overhaul its focus on road safety. The PCC supported the police by providing the necessary funds to develop a new road safety strategy and action plan and a root and branch review of Community Speedwatch.
The PCC is pleased to be working with the local charity the Honest Truth to raise awareness of the dangerous behaviours that increase the risk of death and serious injury on our roads such as driving whilst tired or under the influence of drink or drugs.
Achieved outcomes:
The new road safety strategy means roads policing has a new focus dedicated resource. More motoring offences are being detected, dangerous drivers arrested and unroadworthy vehicles seized. By focusing on the fatal 5 – drink or drug driving, speed, mobile phone use, failure to wear a seatbelt, driving without care and attention – the police are targeting the behaviours that pose the greatest danger to the public on the road.
Next steps:
We will continue to invest in Community Speedwatch by providing volunteers with new technology to support them at the roadside and providing more effective administrative support.
The PCC is inviting partners from across Devon and Cornwall to form a new road safety strategic forum with the aim of eradicating deaths on our roads. This multi-agency group will coordinate road safety activity across the peninsula to ensure all agencies are working towards a shared vision of zero road deaths.