Keeping Islington’s roads safe is close to the council’s heart and this Valentine’s Day, we put our hearts on our sleeves and encouraged Arsenal supporters to think about the consequences of driving at high speeds. Members of Islington Council’s Road Safety Unit set up a stand outside Arsenal tube station to hand out Valentine cards and fact packs to Arsenal fans to raise awareness of the national ‘For My Girlfriend’ campaign. Each pack contains information on the dangers of speeding to reduce speed-related crashes in London plus In a recent survey, 83% of young men described themselves as confident drivers and yet, 30% of road accidents involve men under 20.Councillor Bridget Fox, executive member for sustainability said;“There is no denying that speed kills. Road accidents cause lasting damage not only to the victims & their families but also to the drivers involved. As a council, we are committed to reducing accident levels further, creating a more pleasant environment and keeping everyone using the boroughs roads safe.”The number of people killed or severely injured on the borough’s roads this year has fallen from 219 to 162 (Nov 04). The number of children killed or seriously injured on Islington’s roads has also fallen by 75%The team also had an overwhelmingly positive response to its stands at London Metropolitan University (10 Feb) and City University (11 Feb), where team members interacted with students and handed out packs in the run-up to Valentine's Day. The campaign Valentine card was also distributed to local libraries, bars and sixth-form centres. The Road Safety Unit is working on a number of other campaigns in 2005 to raise awareness of many issues including the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and when using a mobile phone. Notes to editors83% of young males describe themselves as confident drivers and yet, 30% of road accidents involve men under 20.65% of all accidents in which people are killed or seriously injured happen on roads where the speed limit is 40mph or less.At 35mph you are twice as likely to kill someone as you are at 30mphHit at 40mph, a 7 year old has an 80% chance of dyingHit at 30mph, a 7 year old has an 80% chance of survival
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008