North-east students back safety campaign

A new campaign is aiming to safeguard young people after figures showing that 58% of serious and fatal road collisions involving 11-17-year-olds occur during the winter months – with many down to a failure to look properly.

Road Safety GB North East (RSGB NE) launched the campaign with the help of students from Stockton Riverside College, and colleagues from police and fire services, in an effort to reduce the number of young pedestrians and cyclists hurt and killed on the region’s roads.

RSGB NE says that during the last five years, two-thirds of collisions involving young pedestrians were at least partially caused by their failure to look before stepping out.

Failing to look properly also featured prominently in child cyclist injuries  – but this was often due to the driver failing to see the young person on their bike.