THINK! Let's prevent deaths on Country Roads

THINK! Let's prevent three deaths a day from happening on country roads.

60% of all traffic fatalities occur on country roads so Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is supporting the Department of Transport's THINK! Country Roads campaign which will run for five weeks from 26th October.

Every day, three people die on country roads in accidents that could have been prevented easily. THINK! aims to lower this number by promoting the importance of taking extra care on country roads, encouraging drivers to 'brake before the bend, not on it.'

The campaign will target 25-34 year olds and will be running the existing 'If you could see' creative -- a range of media which focuses on the danger of blind spots -- in cinemas, radios and online videos.

Station Manager Colin Heyes, the Service's Road Safety Manager, said, "Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to reducing the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in Cheshire. The fact that country roads continue to claim so many lives is a great tragedy. More fatal collisions take place on country roads than any other type of road. People are often shocked to learn that the number of people killed on country roads is actually11 times higher than on a motorway".

"When faced with a long, seemingly empty, rural road, drivers can be tempted to drive fast, assuming the road is ahead is clear when actually it's highly likely that there is an unseen hazard ahead. In a THINK! survey, 25% of drivers reported having had a near miss on a country road, while 40% had been "surprised by an unexpected hazard", such as an animal. A third of respondents also confessed to taking a bend too fast. Although worrying, these statistics are not surprising as these roads often have sharp bends, blind bends and unexpected hazards. Braking before the bend will give drivers the time they need to react and stay in control."

Country roads- safety advice for drivers

• Look well ahead for upcoming bends, hidden dips, blind summits and concealed entrances.
• Always ensure that you can stop safely within the distance that you can see to be clear.
• Always brake before the bend, not in it.
• Allow more time to stop on wet or slippery surfaces.
• Drive within the speed limit. The national speed limit on single carriage roads is 60mph. But if the weather is poor, or the road surface is dirty, slow down. 60mph is very often way too fast for the conditions.
• Don't overtake if you get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle unless you absolutely 100% sure that the road ahead is clear and it is safe to do so.
• Dips in roads, bends and other junctions joining your road often hide oncoming vehicles.
• Drive slow and pass wide when passing more vulnerable road users such as horse riders, cyclists and walkers.
• Even if you're familiar with a country road, never take it for granted as the conditions can be different every time.

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