19 November 2010

From Brake, the road safety charity, PO BOX 548, Huddersfield, HD1 2XZ
T: 01484 550068, Out of hours 07976 069159, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Road Safety Week 2010 is organised by Brake, the road safety charity, but is a community event open to all, with thousands of participants including schools, companies, emergency services, and community groups.

This year the Week is taking place 22-28 November, with media launches happening at 12 regional locations across the UK on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November. The national media launch is happening at a campaigning school in London on Tuesday 23 November and Brake will be releasing the results of a national survey of children.

The theme in 2010 is ‘Kids say SLOW DOWN!’.

Driving at 20mph is a life-saving decision to make because it gives you a good chance of stopping in time if a child runs out three car lengths in front of you. Driving at 30mph almost doubles this stopping distance – at this speed if a child ran out three car lengths in front you would hit the child, having hardly reduced your speed at all. To read more about the facts of speed click here.

That’s why Brake is calling on the Government to reduce the default urban limit to 20mph as part of a strategy for tackling child road deaths and serious injuries. Read the Road Safety Week calls for Government action here.

Journalists please note: Media launches and community events to persuade drivers to slow down will be taking place across the UK during the Week. Embargoed press releases will be issued to journalists in advance of the Week, but will not appear in this newsroom until Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November. If you haven't received a press release yet, or you have a media enquiry about the Week, call 01484 559909. If you are calling from regional media, please state which region you are calling from.