Road Safety Week highlighted at University of Ulster

Safety on Northern Ireland's roads was highlighted this week when crashed cars were placed at the entrances to the University of Ulster’s three campuses to highlight the launch of Road Safety Week.

An initiative of the Institution of Highways and Transportation (IHT), Road Safety Week will see a wide range of events in the south Antrim area aimed at focusing attention on road safety issues.

Chairman of the IHT’s NI branch is leading road safety research scientist Professor Alan Woodside of the University of Ulster. He said: “Every year, Northern Ireland loses the equivalent of a full jet airliner - 150 people - killed on the roads.

“The aim of Road Safety Week is to make the general public aware of road safety. Our message is that there are lots of straightforward things that anyone can do to make themselves and other safer on the roads.”

Professor Woodside offered five simple tips that, if followed, would help cut the number of road deaths:

• Belt up - use your safety belt - in the back as well as the front of your vehicle.
• Light up - drive with your lights on - even in daytime. It’s been proven to cut accident rates.
• Slow up - reduce speed, which is the primary cause of death on the roads of Northern Ireland.
• Wake up - sleep deprivation is silent killer, causing more death than drink driving
• Wise up - improve your driving by passing the Advanced Motorists’ Test - it could reduce your insurance by a third.

“I want the general public to adopt roads safety as their own responsibility. People have to take some responsibility for their own safety. Road accidents don’t just happen to other people: it could happen to you," Professor Woodside concluded.

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