Activities Is Taking Place Across Carmarthenshire During Road Safety Week

A programme of activities is taking place across Carmarthenshire during Road Safety Week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The aim of the week – which is being held between November 21 and 27 – is to raise awareness of road safety issues, and in particular, what we can all do to make our roads safer and reduce the number of accidents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council’s road safety team has organised various events from free child car seat checks, to walk to school initiatives, young driver education and older driver refresher courses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The child car seat checks will be held at Parc Y Scarlets on Tuesday, November 22 between 3pm and 6pm. No appointment is needed, officers will check that the seat is suitable for the vehicle and is fitted securely as well as being appropriate for the child. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event is being held in partnership with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Dyfed-Powys Police and Parc Y Scarlets and everyone who has a car seat check will be entered into a prize draw to win a family ticket to a forthcoming Scarlets game. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers will be attending Coleg Sir Gâr’s Graig Campus in Llanelli to deliver the Young Driver’s Programme; as well as delivering road safety education to Year Eight pupils at Glanymor School in Burry Port. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Parents are being encouraged to leave the car at home and walk to school instead during the week; with a number of ‘Walk to School’ events organised. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Road safety officers will also be teaming up with the police and fire service to target speeding drivers outside primary schools. Offending drivers will be given the option of speaking to the pupils to explain why they were speeding outside their school or accept a fixed penalty notice as part of the ‘Speed Reduction Initiative’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Police will also be looking out for people not wearing seatbelts; and offenders will be given the option of paying the fine or attending a hard-hitting presentation with the fire service on the devastating consequences of not wearing a seatbelt. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pupils aged between five and seven will be taking part in the Kerbcraft programme of child pedestrian training throughout the week; and national cycle training will also be delivered to Year Six pupils. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The team will also be raising awareness of its ‘Stop Means Stop’ campaign – reminding drivers to stop when signalled by a school crossing patrol officer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Older Driver Refresher Courses will be running during the week to help keep people driving safer for longer, as well as address any concerns and identify any bad driving habits picked up over the years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Motorcyclists are also being urged to attend one of a number of free training courses that are available to improve their riding skills including Dragon Rider Cymru and Biker Down! Cymru – for more information on upcoming courses visit our website. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “I am delighted to see there is a packed programme of events taking place during Road Safety Week and I hope as many people as possible will take advantage of the free car seat checks. Previous events have found that eight out of 10 child car seats were fitted incorrectly, which can be a real danger.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​