A road safety campaign is raising awareness of some of the main reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on the Island’s roads.
The ‘It’s not worth the risk’ campaign aims to improve driver behaviour through a simple picture-based reminder of the factors present in almost all major and minor collisions.
These are inappropriate speed, in-car distractions such as using a mobile phone while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, drink/drug driving and following too close — tragically titled the ‘fatal 5’.
Building on similar initiatives developed by the fire service and Police, the campaign features simple safety messages in the form of circular ‘pictogram’ stickers with an overarching message: ‘It’s not worth the risk’.
Adding these stickers to council vehicles will give motorists numerous opportunities to see these key road safety messages on every journey, at the very time and place they are most relevant — on the road.
The campaign is being backed by the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service, Island Roads and waste provider Amey with many of their vehicles displaying the stickers.
Lewis Campbell, the council’s road safety officer, said:
“The majority of motorists drive safely and would not take unnecessary risks which compromise their safety and the safety of others, but there are a small minority who do.
Article continues below this advertisement “Seeing these pictograms will remind all drivers of safer driving behaviour, and hopefully changes the driving habits of risk-taking motorists.
“This campaign aims to raise awareness of contributory factors which are common in road traffic collisions, namely speed, in-car distractions (such as using a mobile phone), lack of seat belts, alcohol or drug use and keeping a safe following distance.
“Combined, these factors were present in 41 per cent of all road traffic collision related casualties within the past five years.”
Councillor Karen Lucioni, Cabinet member for community safety, added:
“The pictures are being used to communicate the message that roads are dangerous and care needs to be taken.
“We want these symbols to give people that little nudge to drive more safely. The ‘Nudge’ theory is a widely acknowledged behavioural science concept that subtle, indirect suggestions can influence motives and behaviour change.
“Thank you to our partners who have applied the branding to their vehicle fleets, enabling a wide reach across the Island.”
Encounter the first (speeding) and the last (tailgating) almost every day. Biggest culprits are drivers of vans and SUVs.
They seem to think that they have, not only a right to exceed the speed limit, but also to try to intimidate anyone who is obeying it into going faster by tailgating them.
Get too close to me and the brakes go on and I drive to the limit as I always do.
If you “brake test” a tailgater, causing them to hit you, and they have a dashcam it will be you being prosecuted, not them.
Rear collision is always the fault of the car behind. Hence the 2 second gap rule. IMO 2 second gap is not enough. I used to drive many miles to work on the mainland, motorway and country roads. Give me a motorway any day. The country roads on the island are lethal. Way too many bad drivers and speeders who can’t drive safely.
Hope they all eventually get caught and taken off the islands roads.
Not if you deliberately cause the collision by “brake checking” it isn’t.
It is considered dangerous driving in law while tailgate is classed as careless driving.
If the police are involved and the driver of the following car has dashcam evidence of brake checking the it is the driver of the front car who will be facing the more serious charges.
This is a fact. Look it up yourself if you don’t believe me.
Even assuming the police aren’t involved, if the following car has evidence the car in front jamming on its brakes for no reason, there is a good chance their insurance won’t pay out.
I believe you. But if some idiot is tail gating, it’s highly unlikely they will have a dashcam. Anyway, I braked because a rabbit ran out in front of me!!!!!!
Good luck with that.
Then you’ll end up with a car off road getting repairs and a court case
The worst speeders are the retard “boy racers” and motorbikes
No there not it’s idiots like you not signalling cutting corners you talk about speed it not it is just bad driving full stop
Monday driving to Cowes via Newport on the way In due to road works a moter bike on the shalfleet road race ahead over 60 miles and continued full speed. Bike number 2 a learner doing zigzags at full speed on the parkhurst road, bike number 3 roared ahead by lights at shalfleet and d fled. A normal day in Freshwater don’t let’s talk about the mitary road cars included.
So basically Don’t think you like motorbikes then and you’ve made that up
Van drivers are the worst along with other larger vehicles, however you can’t educate these drivers, they are very aggressive…
Im a van driver i dont speed and I don’t drive like a idiot
38 years driving without any points on my license and never had a accident
I hear ya Pops. I am a motorcyclist who has been riding for 35 years with an unblemished record. We will never convince the “opinionaters” on here though that it is very much the minority of van, car, motorbike users who drive or ride badly as they have to have someone to hate in their pathetic little worlds.
Very true. Most of them have a lack of brains, hence driving a van.
The majority of them are far more intelligent than you using them for their businesses for which they have skills a moron like you could never have.
We have a ‘Roads Safety Officer’ ???
Does not exist on the Island
Are these stickers for sale ??
Isn’t it true that motorbike riders and cyclists are at the highest risk on Isle of Wight roads?
So why isn’t there a sticker which highlights this?
There are plenty of stickers that highlight this already. Quite a number of cars have “Think Bike” stickers.
Gee wizz, that is going to make a big difference – not.
Some motorists are just too thick to realise what they are doing is wrong. Too thick or just don’t care. So much bad driving on the island.
I always know the Thicko’s, usually they have number plates with DL on.
Anyone that drives roads regularly knows that modern cars give the drivers a false sense of security. As you can no longer hear much of the road, thoughts can turn to anything distracting. Add to that the sheer width of most new cars and the facts that the driving positions are now as high as an old Ford transit, and the driver becomes totally isolated from the reality that they are still driving a car and not a truck. If you don’t believe me, see how many modern ‘transit cars’ approach you with wheels on or over the centre road line. Clearly our roads over here were never meant for any modern huge vehicles from hgvs to buses, so add in huge cars and little wonder accident rates are up.The only alternative is a lower island speed limit.
Road safety – lol
Stop Muppets parking on Pavements down Great Preston Rd
that will make that Road safe.
Situation occurs outside the Council Houses on the bend prior to approaching
Nicholson Road.
Must be some Morons living in the Houses.
They do not have the Brains to realise that pavements are for persons, dog walkers,
pram pushers and mobility scooters – NOT vehicles.
I find it rather ironic, that to be able to read the ‘pictigrams’ on the back of the van pictured, you have to drive far too close,
About time! In my experience most drivers tailgate and break the speed limits! As an advanced driver I am appalled by the standard of driving.