Week of action to take place to safeguard vulnerable road users in North Lancashire

Monday, 18 September 2023 09:37

A week of action begins today to clamp down on dangerous drivers who put vulnerable road users at risk.

Last year 623 vulnerable road users were injured as a result of collisions, with 281 of those either killed or seriously injured.

This week, Lancashire Police will be supporting a week of action to clamp down on motorists who drive in a way which puts our vulnerable groups at even more risk.

This will include people who commit the ‘fatal five’ offences of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, speeding, using a mobile phone at the wheel, not wearing a seatbelt or otherwise driving in a dangerous way.

Ch Insp Matt Willmot, of the Lancashire Roads Policing Unit, said: “The term ‘vulnerable road user’ encompasses a huge proportion of our communities, and almost all of us will either fall into this category or will know someone who does.

“The statistics for collisions where vulnerable road users are killed or seriously injured are shocking, yet they have as much right to be safe on the road as anyone else.

“We know the majority of people drive safely and legally but for the minority who think they are above the law, we will be ramping up our daily business and directly targeting those who put themselves and other road users at risk.

“And if you need a bit of a refresher on keeping certain vulnerable groups safe, keep an eye on our social media pages this week as we’ll be sharing some hints and tips for safer driving.

“We would also encourage all road users, including cyclists and horse-riders, to use dashcam and to report any offences caught on camera to us through Op Snap.”

People who fall into this category include:

* Elderly people

* Children

* Cyclists

* Horse-riders

* Motorcyclists

* Pedestrians

* Mobility device users

More information on Op Snap is here