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42 die weekly on UK roads - what we can do about it
It was ironic that a motorist tried to kill me just a few short minutes after I had left a driver safety awareness course – a stark reminder that 42 people are killed on UK roads each week –and I almost became the 43rd.
More’s the pity that drivers like the one who overtook a line of cars on the wrong side of the road (my side of the highway) and headed towards me at speed - could not benefit from the same course.
I had just been doing a driving commentary to make myself more aware about speed limits, road signs and hazards as just learned on the course run by TTC Automotive, a driver training organisation, which has introduced new courses for “everyday” motorists, just like me.
I passed a 50mph sign on a lamp post and now knew that they would be repeated every ten or 15 seconds of driving distance. A large traffic island was approaching on the dual carriageway and I duly slowed down before catching a speeding car in the corner of my eye.
It was overtaking a line of traffic where the highway had changed from dual cariageway to a single track and this guy hadn’t paid attention. Now he was flooring it to get past the traffic queue but he was on my side of the road and heading straight for me and my car.
In moments like this there isn’t much time to act but fortunately self preservation took hold and as I had just checked my mirror to know there was no vehicle right behind me, I jerked the steering wheel to the left to swerve across the road and away from the bullet like vehicle which would have hit me head on if I hadn’t taken the rapid avoiding action.
With 2,222 people killed on UK roads in just one year, I was relieved not to have become one more statistic to be added onto the New Year roll call of road deaths.
But one organisation is trying to do something to reduce that chilling statistic.
TTC Automotive, part of the TTC Group, aims to improve the driver safety of individuals by highlighting the dangers on UK roads where more than 220,000 were also injured in 2009.
Courses are being rolled out across the UK in the New Year with the aim of equipping drivers with an insight into how to make themselves safer on the roads.
Testing the inaugural Driver Safety Awareness Course was a bank worker, firefighter, RAF officer, policeman and council road safety officers. They sat alongside community leaders, company directors, business delegates and the parent road safety representative at a leading comprehensive school.
In just over two hours, a top grade instructor gave an overview of potential road risks facing drivers every day with strategies to improve safety, raise awareness about speed, fatigue, driving distractions, and the effects of alcohol and drugs and given tips on fuel efficiency.
The course is the brainchild of Simon and Jo Baugh, directors of TTC Automotive, a part of the TTC Group, which runs hundreds of courses each year to re-educate motorists caught drink driving, speeding and careless driving.
“The TTC Group has been very successful in rehabilitating drivers who have fallen foul of the law since the early 1990’s. Many have told us that if only they had the information on the course before breaking the law, they would not have done so. They have written in, phoned and emailed us asking if they can book their son, daughter, mother or father onto such a course,” said Simon.
“Before today they could not. Statutory courses are only open to people who have committed an offence. But we think it’s important to listen to people and act. So we have created this totally new course specifically for the general public, ordinary individuals, small businesses and groups of friends and families.
“Most of us pass our test as teenagers and then never pick up the highway code or have a refresher course despite driving all our lives. Many people who are experienced drivers have told us they have learned a lot that they had forgotten or didn’t know as road regulations change over the years,” added Mr Baugh.
Aimed at everyone from learners through to experienced drivers, the courses will be held in evenings, weekends and during the daytime to cater for everyone.
Motorists wanting to attend the course should contact TTC Automotive on 0333 8000 222 or email driver.training@ttcautomotive.co.uk or visit www.ttcautomotive.co.uk
EA
For more information please contact TTC Automotive on 0333 8000 222 or visit the website at www.ttcautomotive.co.uk or email: driver.training@ttcautomotive.co.uk
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