Road Safety Week 2012 will take place from November 19-25 and the charity Brake, which coordinates the event, is encouraging companies, particularly fleet operators, to start planning how they will take advantage of the event to promote safe driving to staff and show their commitment to road safety in the wider community.

Companies can log onto the Road Safety Week website to get ideas and register to receive free resources to help them take part.

Road Safety Week, now in its 16th year, is a great time to run training or awareness-raising activities for employees to promote a safe driving culture, or launch new policies and initiatives aimed at reducing crashes or promoting sustainable travel.

It’s also an opportunity for companies to gain valuable media recognition and engage the community to raise awareness about road safety as part of their CSR strategy.

Companies can access free electronic resources and guidance to help them get involved. Go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk and click on ‘companies’ for initial ideas and to register to take part and get a free e-action pack (which will be emailed out from August).

This includes downloadable posters to display during the week, plus advice, and case studies of what other companies have done in previous years.

Every year Brake picks a theme to focus on through its Road Safety Week media campaign. Companies can choose to run their initiative on this or any other road safety topic.

Brake’s main theme for 2012 is ‘Slower speeds = happy people’. Through national and regional media, Brake will be raising awareness of the importance of making it safer for people to walk and cycle in their own community, to get to work or school, and for their health and enjoyment.

Brake will be calling on drivers to slow down to 20mph around homes, schools and shops, explaining that it’s a life-saver because it gives you a good chance of stopping in time in an emergency.

Brake is also urging companies with staff who drive for work to make use of low-cost guidance from Brake’s Fleet Safety Forum in the run up to the week to develop year-round fleet safety practices.

Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: “Companies can play an important role in making our roads safer, raising awareness among staff, customers and contacts about safe driving, implementing ambitious fleet safety practices, and engaging the community.

“Road Safety Week is an opportunity for companies to focus attention on this vital social issue and speak out about the difference we can all make in preventing needless tragedies and creating greener, safer communities.

“Each year many companies make a tremendous impact by getting the road safety message across during the Week, often gaining valuable publicity at the same time.

"The Road Safety Week website is full of ideas on how to get involved: log on now to register for an e-action pack and start thinking about how you’ll get involved to help save lives.”
 

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