Life-sized puppets play a key role in a new road safety promotion jointly staged by Michelin and vehicle leasing/fleet managing company Arval. As part of its corporate social responsibilities, Arval is working with the tyre maker to get the road safety message across to teenagers near its Swindon head office. The puppet show will be presented to Swindon College and Royal Wootton Bassett Sixth Form in September.
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) has criticised the call by some Liberal Democrats to impose a 20-mph speed limit in all residential areas, effectively replacing the 30 limit by 20.
There is no evidence that this will have any benefit in reducing injuries and deaths from road traffic accidents, while it will impose very substantial costs to both implement this change and in on-going costs imposed on drivers because of the increased travel times that would result. Indeed compliance will be exceedingly questionable, with enforcement also difficult, and is likely to bring the law into disrepute.
Brake, the road safety charity, takes a diametrically opposed view to the ABD and is calling for government and local authorities to work towards 20mph being the norm in built-up areas, to help deliver a post-2012 legacy of active, healthy communities.
Earlier this week, some newspapers reported 20mph limits are 'not working' on the basis that casualties across all 20mph roads increased during 2010-11. rake is pointing out that the increase does not demonstrate heightened risks in 20mph limits, but is likely to result from 20mph limits becoming much more widespread, as many city, county and borough councils implement them across built up areas.
Michelin Tyre PLC is celebrating 10 years of its Performance and Responsibility Michelin (PRM) programme, the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility charter. In 2002, the company developed the PRM framework to provide a more strategic approach to the efforts it was already making to improve the support it provides to employees, communities and the environment.
Road safety organisation TyreSafe has recruited wheel and tyre supplier Wheel Solutions Ltd (WSL) as its latest member. The company specialises in caravan, trailer and agricultural products, while also supplying other sectors. WSL hasn’t wasted any time in adopting TyreSafe’s activities having developed a range of dual branded material to educate its customers, highlighting tyre safety messages. Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe, said: “It’s great news to welcome Wheel Solutions to TyreSafe as it has wealth of knowledge in some specialist sectors that will help us drive home the tyre safety message to a wider audience.
The number of motorists driving with defective tyres remains at a “dangerous and worrying level, warns TyreSafe, commenting on figures recently released by the Ministry of Justice. The statistics reveal 9,639 people were convicted of driving with dangerous or defective tyres at Magistrates courts in England and Wales in 2011.
Driving tests could soon be available from branches of Halfords under plans announced by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. As well as using traditional driving test centres, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is looking at working with public and private sector partners to provide driving test premises in selected areas that don't already have a local test centre.
Road Safety Markings Association is set to carry out the UK’s biggest survey of the state of white lines. From 16 July and throughout August, more than 6,000 miles of roads in England, Scotland and Wales – including the UK’s ten most dangerous roads identified by the Road Safety Foundation – will be assessed for the quality of their central white lines.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged greater focus on road safety following the publication of annual casualty figures which show the first increase in UK road deaths since 2003.
The figures for 2011 for Great Britain, released by the Department for Transport, show that road deaths rose by three per cent from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,901 in 2011.
Child deaths rose by nine per cent from 55 in 2010 to 60 in 2011, which is particularly disappointing given that the two previous years showed substantial reductions in child deaths. The number of seriously injured children fell by four per cent to 2,352 in 2011. At 19,474, the overall number of child casualties (killed, seriously injured and slightly injured) barely changed between 2010 and 2011.
There were 453 pedestrian deaths in 2011, a rise of 12 per cent from 2010 and the number of seriously injured pedestrians increased by five per cent to 5,454.
Apollo Tyres has opened its first formal training centre for heavy and light commercial vehicle drivers. The centre is located in Ujjain city, a location within India the tyre maker describes as a busy transportation hub, and is being run in partnership with the non-profit organisation B-ABLE. Apollo says the centre will focus on two key areas: educating those wishing to make a career in the segment on all aspects of road and vehicle safety and maintenance, and promoting a holistic approach to health and wellbeing.
After studying 2,000 drivers, Continental Tyres drew the conclusion that half of all motorists no longer enjoy driving – and a key reason for this lack of love is the threat of road rage. The study also revealed that around 15 per cent of those surveyed – a number representing five million motorists – have got out of their car to confront another driver.
Tyre Bay Direct has teamed up with Think Smart to offer new tyre equipment leasing concept. Rent Smart has been available through Curry’s and Dixons for many years but Tyre Bay Direct are reportedly the first people to bring it into the Garage Equipment market.
Careless drivers will be targeted under new proposals announced for consultation by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. The proposals would make fixed penalty notices available for careless driving, giving the police greater flexibility in dealing with less serious careless driving offences and freeing them from resource intensive enforcement processes. The fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement. Drivers would still be able to appeal any decision in court.
Sussex Police is TyreSafe’s latest supporter in its campaign to raise awareness about tyre safety and maintenance. Although the south coast constabulary joined forces with TyreSafe for last year’s Tyre Safety Month, this year will see a big increase in involvement, actively promoting a number of campaigns aimed at educating road users about the importance of tyre safety.
Nankang will unveil its new logo from Hall Three, Stand 105 at Reifen 2012 in Essen next week.. It consists of the logo typeface of 'Nankang' and the brand promise of 'Free Your Way'. Nankang Tyre's corporate logo has been used for over two decades. Facing the increasingly competitive global marketplace, the company says it is charging forward with a new Corporate Identity System (CIS). The new CIS will serve as critical guidelines for global brand management, and more importantly as the foundation to fresh brand image of Nankang.
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