Police across Norfolk are supporting a week of road safety initiatives, which aim to highlight the dangers faced by vulnerable road users and reduce fatal and serious collisions. The campaigns include National Safe Speeds Day which runs throughout the day today, and Project EDWARD, which stands for Every Day Without A Road Death and runs until this Friday. Officers are looking for the Fatal Four offences, which are speeding, drink/drug driving, using a mobile phone at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt.
In support of these campaigns, officers from the Joint Roads and Armed Policing Team (RAPT) will be conducting high visibility roadside speed checks across the county, educating and informing drivers of the risks posed by speeding and the effects this can have on vulnerable road users.
Officers will target all those motorists who display a distinct disregard for the law, with a particular emphasis on the ‘Fatal Four’ offences of: drink/drug driving; speeding; driving whilst using a mobile phone; driving without wearing a seatbelt.
Both marked and unmarked police vehicles will be used, equipped with speedometers and video recording equipment in order to target reckless or speeding drivers.
Inspector Gary Miller, of the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk RAPT, said: “The ultimate aim of all these three interwoven campaigns, is to promote road safety and reduce the occurrence of serious or fatal collisions.
“Our roads are for everyone to use, but those classed as vulnerable users are at greater risk of coming to harm in a collision, despite only accounting for a relatively small percentage of overall journeys that are made.
“We want all motorists to drive with care, to be on the lookout for vulnerable road users and ensure you pass them at an appropriate speed, allowing sufficient time and space to do so. They have as much right to be on the roads as anyone else.
“Project EDWARD has the noble ambition of eradicating road deaths entirely, which is something we can all get behind. The Safer Speeds Day should be a 365 days of the year campaign, but we hope that for that 24-hour period everyone makes sure they stick to the speed limits and help ensure we don’t have any fatalities on our roads.”
Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie said: “Everyone should be able to head out on their journeys and be safe on our roads, regardless of whether they are driving a vehicle, walking or riding a motorcycle, cycle or horse.
“Campaigns to remind people not to speed or drive in ways that endanger others should not be necessary, but the sad reality is that too many people lose their lives or face serious injury on our roads and the police are forced to invest significant time and money into road safety measures and enforcement.
“I fully support the ambitions of these campaigns and would ask all road users to be mindful of others this week, and every week.”
Motorists caught speeding will be issued with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) and face a fine, points on their licence or even court action. Some drivers can opt to take part in a speed awareness course.
Further details of activity and events relating to Project EDWARD can be found on the website www.projectedward.org and via #ProjectEDWARD on social media.