Slow down and drive SMART!

As the winter months approach, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council are launching a joint campaign to remind motorists about the dangers they pose to themselves and others, by speeding and not concentrating on the roads.

Figures show there were 582 people killed or seriously injured on Surrey’s roads in 2011 and that on average 1,194 people a year are injured during speed related collisions on the county’s roads with one third of all collisions taking place in October, November or December.

Those most at risk are young people aged 16 to 24 years-old who make up 37 per cent of all speed related collisions.

This week sees the launch of a county-wide anti-speeding campaign featuring billboards, radio adverts and bus advertising as part of the on-going Drive SMART initiative.

Superintendent Sharon Bush, of Surrey Police, said: “The message should be clear - speeding has serious consequences. You risk killing or seriously injuring not only yourself but other people which has an impact on the lives of whole families.

“The aim of this campaign is to get motorists to abandon any selfish and anti-social driving habits and work with us to keep Surrey a safe place for people to travel around.”

Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council'sCabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “The spectre of winter is hanging over us, with dark evenings, rain, ice and snow all making driving more risky in the coming months. This means we need to take extra care on the roads.

“It's a time of year when the Drive SMART message is especially important. Anti-social driving like speeding ortailgating when roads are wet or slippery is even more dangerous than usual because stopping distances increase. It can be harder to spot hazards when it'sdark so slow down and give yourself and those around you more time to make gooddecisions on the road."  

Tips to help you keep yourself and others safe on the road this autumn:

1.   Speed limits are a maximum, not a target. Drivewithin the speed limit and the conditions around you.

1. Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to rush. Plan your journeys or ring ahead if you are running late.
2. Don’t be pressured into speeding by other motorists behind you. Concentrate on driving safely.
3. Check you speed often and use a lower gear in 30mph zones.

Drive SMART aims to educate drivers who use Surrey’s roads and in the past year 23,728 referrals have been made to driver awareness courses which aim to encourage people to change the error of theirways before it is too late.

For moreinformation on Drive SMART visit http://www.drivesmartsurrey.org.uk/