Road safety is everyone’s responsibility

How Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner is supporting road safety initiatives to keep road users safe.

Far too many people continue to be killed or seriously injured on our roads and that is why Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston is committed to supporting Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Road Safety Partnership - Vision Zero.  

The partnership aims to prevent road deaths across the county, significantly reducing the severity of injuries and subsequent costs and social impacts of road traffic collisions. 

As Chair of the partnership since September, the Commissioner also supports initiatives to improve safety on the county’s roads, committing significant investment in education to promote a safer driving culture and save lives.    

One of those initiatives includes a countywide Casualty Reduction Officer – a police officer employed by Cambridgeshire Constabulary and funded by the Commissioner to co-ordinate road safety work in partnership with police colleagues and other agencies. This includes providing educational and preventative road safety advice to everyone who uses our roads - from primary through to secondary schools and further education, businesses, community groups and older drivers. 

PC Boddington is well-placed for the role having experienced the devastation of fatal road incidents during his twenty-two years as a frontline officer - fourteen of which were spent in roads policing.  

Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston said: “It is vital that we continue to invest in this important and potentially life-saving training for the next generation of riders and drivers.  

“Over the last 12 months, PC Boddington’s road safety workshops across primary and secondary schools, as well as targeted sessions for older drivers have reached over 3,300 younger drivers, 800 older drivers and over 4,800 schoolchildren. 

“This is important work. Improving road safety is something we all have a role in and I remain committed to supporting educational awareness to make our roads safer for all.” 

Nationally 1,600 people are killed each year on the roads with nearly 30,000 people injured – many of those will be life-changing injuries with long-term consequences.  

Talking about his role PC Boddington said: “Every collision is one too many – the devastation and injuries and the loss of life in some incidents will go on to change the future of many lives - devastation which, in many cases, is entirely avoidable. 

“As we progress through our driving careers, we gain a huge amount of experience, but bad habits can develop and technology can make driving less interactive. It’s important that all road users keep up to date with our road laws, the Highway Code and emerging technology to keep themselves and others safe on the roads.  

“The well-publicised fatal four offences; drink and drug driving, speeding, failing to wear a seatbelt, and distractions like mobile phones, account for the vast majority of collisions involving serious injury and those killed on the roads.  

“Young drivers aged 17 to 25 are over-represented in collision statistics, accounting for 7% of road users and 20% of those killed or seriously injured. Through education we can encourage younger drivers to drive with consideration and help them to understand the consequences of careless actions.” 

PC Boddington also delivers workshops to older drivers, so they are aware of additional risks people face as they get older.  

Sessions can be booked via this link: Older Driver Workshops for individuals and couples. For bespoke group sessions please email: [email protected]