You have to wear a seatbelt, even when eating…

27 July 2022 was the Safer Essex Roads Partnership’s ‘Vision Zero day’ for Southend-On-Sea. A partnership day dedicated to focusing our collective resources in one area to target the causes of deaths and serious injuries on the road.

An enforcement and engagement site was set up in Westcliff-on-Sea at which officers from Essex Police stopped any passing drivers that were spotted committing an offence, mainly not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones. Road Safety staff from Southend City Council were on hand to talk to drivers and passengers about ‘Vision Zero’ and how everyone can help us achieve this ambition by remembering to always wear their seatbelts or not using their mobile phone when driving.

The majority of passing motorists were being safe and following the law, but 38 people were reported for not wearing a seatbelt; several having been seen putting their belt on after their journey had started. Two other vehicles were stopped for the inappropriate carriage of infants and one taxi when the rear passenger was spotted not wearing a seat belt.

There’s NO Excuse for poor driving – a poor excuse from one driver was that ‘his passenger had taken off her seatbelt to eat a cake!’

Several delivery drivers were heard complaining about the inconvenience of having to put on a seatbelt after every delivery.

You are 80% more likely to suffer a serious injury in a collision when not wearing a seat belt than if wearing one – which would cause a much greater inconvenience than the seconds it takes to put one on and take it off.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and SERP’s ‘My Small Change Car’ were in Southend High Street where hundreds of people were spoken to about how the event contributes to the aspiration for ‘Vision Zero’ ie, No Deaths and Serious injuries by 2040 and all aspects of road safety.

A new Community Speed Watch group was out for the first time in Chalkwell; making their presence known to motorists and reporting a number of vehicles during their two-hour session.

A TruCam Speed recording device was used by a SERP Road Safety Technician on Sutton Road, Southend and in Shoeburyness resulting in 34 vehicles being reported for speeding.

01 August 2022