Essential advice to keep you safe on the county’s roads this winter

The clocks went back on Sunday (October 31) signalling the end of British Summer Time and the return of longer hours of darkness in the morning and evenings.

This often coincides with an increase in collisions on the UK’s roads and members of the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance (NSRA) are urging those who are usually out walking, cycling or driving at these times to take extra care.

NSRA is a countywide partnership between the police, fire & rescue service, the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and Northamptonshire Highways representing the unitarity authority, which was set up in November 2018.

It brings together key partners to work on initiatives which aims to improve road safety across Northamptonshire through education, engagement, engineering and enforcement.

Chair of NSRA, Superintendent Jen Helm, said: “Our priority is to work with partners and the public to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“The clocks going back is a good time to re-focus on this and remind everyone that we each need to do all we can to keep ourselves and others safe when using our roads. It’s essential we take extra care and look out for each other.

“We would also ask those walking, running or cycling to wear bright or reflective clothing and fit lights to their bikes, while drivers should make sure their vehicles are ready for winter and modify their driving to reflect the conditions.”

To help keep you safe this winter, follow these road safety tips:

Pedestrians/runners or dog walkers

• Stick to well-lit areas and routes you are familiar with
• Be alert - don’t listen to music or wear earphones
• Make sure your phone is charged, but be careful if you are texting/chatting as this can be an unnecessary distraction and could attract thieves
• Wear light colours and reflective/high visibility jackets on a dull/foggy day or in the evening/at night
• Always choose a well-lit place when you cross the road
• Remember it takes drivers longer to stop in wet or slippery conditions

Cyclists

• Wear light colours and reflective/high visibility jackets on a dull/foggy day or in the evening/at night
• Check tyres, lights and reflectors on your bike before you set off
• ALWAYS wear an approved cycle helmet

Motorists

• Make sure all the lights on your vehicles are working
• Make sure your tyres have sufficient tread, and are inflated to the correct pressure recommended by the manufacturer
• Check your windscreen washer bottle is full and wipers are in good working order
• Make sure your engine cooling system is topped up with anti-freeze
• Ensure vehicle windows are clear of ice and mist before starting a journey