National Road Victim Month – staying safe on the road

National Road Victim Month

It’s National Road Victim Month, which is held annually in August to remember all people who lost their lives or have been injured on our roads. In the UK, there were an estimated 1,560 fatalities in reported road collisions in 2021, 7% more compared with 2020.

With this in mind, we pulled together a few tips to keep you and others safe on the road.

Mobile phones are a constant in most of our lives. But there’s one place where you certainly shouldn’t be calling, texting, tweeting or anything else and that’s in your car. Although using your mobile phone whilst driving is illegal, it has become a huge safety issue for many drivers. Texting, taking pictures, scrolling or playing video games takes your attention away from the road which can make you more vulnerable to get involved in an accident. If you can’t ignore a phone call or a text, pull over to a safe location before answering.

On 25 March, stricter rules on mobile phone use whilst driving came into force aimed to make roads safer and reduce accidents. Drivers are not allowed to use their mobile devices to take photos or videos, play games or scroll through playlists whilst driving.

The law is still applicable even if you are stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic or supervising a learner driver. However, you can use your phone to make contactless payments at drive-thrus.

The rules have become stricter for other devices too such as laptops, smart watches and tablets. Drivers can still use hands-free devices such as a sat-nav, as long as it’s secured in a cradle.

As the name indicates, the ‘Dutch Reach’ originates from the Netherlands. It is a safety method encouraging vehicle drivers or passengers to open the door using their hand on the opposite side to the door they are opening. For example, using your left hand to open a door on your right-hand side.

The ‘Dutch Reach’ will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder before you open the door which reduces the chances to cause injury to passing cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians.

The Highway Code is updated regularly so it’s important to stay up to date in order to understand your responsibility on the road. Also, many of the rules in the code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you’re committing a criminal offence.

Are you aware of the changes that were introduced in January this year to improve road safety for vulnerable road users? If not, read our article.

 

To access the Highway Code, click here.

If you’re planning on driving, avoid drinking alcohol. Drink driving is not only illegal, but it can cost you the safety of you and others. Many of the functions that we depend on to drive safely are affected when we drink alcohol. Alcohol slows down our reflexes and ability to react promptly enough to changing situations. Read our guide to learn how alcohol can slow you down and affect your body’s responses making your driving unsafe, and our tips on how to avoid putting yourself and others at risk of accidents.

Fatigue is a major contributory factor in crashes in the UK, with too little sleep radically affecting driver attention, awareness, reaction time and ability to control the vehicle. Driving tired can be as dangerous as driving under the influence – it slows down your reaction and decreases your awareness. Read our guide for tips on how to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.

When the weather is warmer, there are more cyclists and motorcyclists on our roads, who are one of the most vulnerable road users.

Be mindful when opening your door, check your mirrors and blind spots, give them enough space and clearly indicate your intentions.

Keep in mind the weather conditions, and plan ahead your stops if you are going on a long journey. Take regular breaks and get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel to prevent drowsy driving.