Did you know last year road traffic collisions cost Midlands Air Ambulance Charity almost £1.7 million?
With support from longstanding corporate partner, M6toll, the Drive4Life campaign was designed to:
Tyre checks
Drivers should check both the tyre pressure and tread depth regularly, as driving with over inflated or under inflated tyres can affect your braking distance.
You can check the pressure of your tyres at a local petrol station, using the guidelines in your vehicle handbook. Here’s what you need to do:
The machine will give you a reading before inflating your tyres to the correct pressure.
It is a legal requirement that each of your tyres has a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.
To check your tread depth, simply place a 20p coin into the grooves of the tyre tread. If you can’t see the outer rim of the coin, then your tread depth is legal. Check a few different areas on each tyre to be sure. You should also regularly check for bulges, cuts or any other damage. If you discover any damage or your tread depth is low, you should replace your tyre immediately.
Driving whilst tired
Tired drivers have a reduced reaction time, vigilance, alertness and concentration, all of which are necessary for safe driving. Driving whilst tired can then result in an inability to deal with the unexpected, poor decision making and greater risk taking.
Advice to reduce the risk
• Monotony is a big problem when travelling on motorways. Take a 20-minute rest from driving every 2 hours to break up the journey.
• Avoid travelling after eating a large meal.
• Plan your journey, including rest periods and allow time for unexpected delays.
• Share the driving with a second driver.
• Consider an alternative mode of transport such as train or coach.
• Avoid drinking alcohol the day before and on the day of travel.
• Make sure your vehicle is legal, roadworthy and has breakdown cover.
Speeding
The Department for Transport (DfT) estimates that on 30mph roads, 52 per cent of cars exceed the speed limit. Research suggests that a third of all collisions are caused by excessive or inappropriate speed.
Advice to reduce the risk
Mobile phone use
Andy Wheeler, Head of Technical Delivery at TTC Group, said: “Driving requires your full attention and anything that diverts your attention away from the road is a distraction, has a detrimental effect on driving performance and can lead to an on-road incident.
“Texting, making and receiving calls or livestreaming while driving is a serious and growing threat. Our advice is simple: Switch the phone off and don’t take it out until you have reached your destination and it is safe to do so.”
Advice to reduce the risk
Although this campaign has now ended if you think that your business can help raise the awareness of Road Safety then please contact Jon Cottrell at the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.